


Beneath the Rose-Tinted Mask

by KnightCommander94



Category: Persona 5, RWBY
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crossover, F/F, My First Fanfic, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-14 16:57:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 34,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13594416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KnightCommander94/pseuds/KnightCommander94
Summary: A year they said, just be good and stay out of trouble they said. Well that hasn’t worked. Not one bit.A re-imagine of the Persona 5 story but with the cast of RWBY instead.





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Some of the RWBY characters in this story are not related to each other.

Date: Unknown

Time: Unknown

Waking up after having water thrown on me is not the best way of waking up, but when you’re handcuffed, still in your school uniform and sitting in a (rather uncomfortable) chair, there’s not a lot you can do. As I start to struggle against the handcuffs, I hear someone say.

“You still don’t get it, do you?”

I look up just in time to see the guy who is speaking to swing his fist towards me. The next thing I know I’m lying on the floor in what I can only assume to be an interrogation room. With the left side of my face stinging to the nth degree, I look over to where the chair that I was occupying a couple of moments ago on its side. 

My mind was all over the place, I couldn’t remember how I got here or who that guy was that just punched me. More pain was the only answer I got as the guys shoe was placed on my head, with pressure slowly being applied until I let out a scream of pain. Then it stops. I hear a chuckle above me as the suit wearing guy walks over towards another person wearing a similar getup as the one that has been talking to me, the only real differences is the pair of glasses that he is wearing.

“Obstruction of justice, blackmail, defamation, possession of weapons…. Now this one is my favorite one on this list.” The suit wearing guy was saying.

He looks at me like I know what he was going to say but judging by the way his smile was growing more and creepier, he knew I didn’t. 

“Manslaughter.”

I must of looked like a dear caught in a set of headlights if there small bit of laughter was to go by. I couldn’t have killed anyone could I? I don’t…. I. Ugh my head is killing me. I don’t remember a thing.

I see the man’s lips move but it is like he is miles away or he is speaking quietly, it was then that I was being pulled up into a sitting position by two guys, one with the glasses and another person that I didn’t even know he was there, then I felt the handcuffs loosen. Then the two guys move away and stand next to the only door in this smallish room.

I sat there rubbing my wrists; the chafing where the handcuffs were was terrible. When I looked up the guy who punched me was crouched in front of me with a clipboard in his hands and tells me to sign it. I look at him gone out. He makes a displeased noise and tells me that it a confession under my name.

I push the clipboard out of the way; it was obviously not what he wanted so he stands “I see….. I need your hand to sign this, but…. I don’t care if you end up losing a leg.” As he says this he brings his foot down straight onto my knee. The pain was immense to the point where I believe that he might actually break it. He steps back shortly after he starts and puts the clipboard in front of me again. 

I reluctantly take the clipboard and he hands me a sliver pen, “Don’t expect to walk out of here in one piece.” he says just loud enough for me to hear it and no one else. “We’re going to make you understand. One must take full responsibility for their actions.” The pen has a familiar weight to it as I sign my name underneath the list of “crimes” that I've done.

Ruby Rose


	2. Where have I been?

The three suit wearing adults left not to long after I gave the clipboard back and I was pretty much left to my own for god knows how long. The whole time that I was alone I was trying to remember what I was meant to do when I got here, but I was drawing a blank.

Ugh. Everything aches. It hurts to move, but sitting on the floor for too long will only add to my injuries. Well, at least that chair was still in here and to my surprise a collapsible table that was moved to one of the corners and another chair. So at least I can relax somewhat.

The only thing I can really remember is what my mom told me the day she brought me a pair glasses, the only reasons she got them me was to hide the scar that was across my left eye that I received from a bully back in Inaba, and the other reason is that due to having sliver eyes like my mom, I apparently make people nervous and uncomfortable whenever I look at them.

The glasses never really bothered me that much, I could see fine without them, but she told me to be good and stay safe and I’ll be back before I know it eating cookies with her. I failed her. I told that I’ll be good, that I’ll stay out of trouble. The scar was one thing, this, I would be killed if she ever found out.

I weren’t expecting the door to this room opening up any time soon, so when it does, I immediately start to question whether or not I’m going insane. It’s the white hair that I’ve come to love over past several months is what I notice first and the white suit that accompanies it, that is when I realize that it’s her sister and not her.

_“I’ll be back and in your arms before you know it my Queen” I told her._

_“I know. But what happens…” I cut her off by planting a quick kiss on her cheek; it’s one of the ways I know on how to re-insure her everything will be okay._

She never did like me kissing her in front of everyone, but the small noise she lets out or how she buries her face into the crook of my neck when I do is worth every penny. I let a smile cross my face at that memory.

“I didn’t expect it’d be you sitting there.”

“You of all people Schnee-san should expect the unexpected.”

“Be that as it may Ruby, you do know that she’ll be heart broken when I tell her.”

I look away, hoping to feign that I am hurting because of what she has said. Before I can say anything Prosecutor Schnee continues on like what she has just said didn’t even happen.

“You’ll be answering my questions this time.” She looks to her right at what I could only guess is that syringe that I left on the floor. “Those bastards. Can you still hear me?”

“Yes, unfortunately” I say with the cheekiest grin I could muster.

“You do know almost anything can happen here and I can’t stop them?” I pale a couple of shades whiter when she says that. “That is why I need you to answer me honestly. We don’t have much time either.”

“What was your objective? Why did you cause such a major incident? I didn’t think it was a prank from the get-go, but I couldn’t assemble a case for prosecution. It’s because I couldn’t figure out the method behind it.”

“Of course you couldn’t” I say.

“True. There’s no way I could be convinced of such a… “world” just by reading the reports.”

The silents way deafening, waiting for what she was going to say next felt like a life time. I was glad that I didn’t have to wait too long before Prosecutor Schnee started to speak again.

“That is why you are going to tell me when and where you found out about that world? How it is even possible to steel another’s heart?” She looks at me with those slate blue eyes, like she doesn’t really want to do this. “Now, tell me your account of everything. Start from the very beginning.”

I rest my head in my right hand and close my eyes as I start to tell her my story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feed back of any kind is welcome.


	3. Home sweet Home?

Date: 4/9

Time: Midday

I don’t remember falling asleep on the train, at least its cut out some of the commute to Shibuya. After checking my bag to see if everything is still their, I pull my phone out of the inside pocket of my school blazer to see if I have the address for Ironwood-san correct. I just hope that I can find where I’m meant to go without getting lost, it’s embarrassing to have to ask the same person twice.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for riding with us today, we will be arriving at Shibuya shortly. This is the last stop for this line. Please transfer here for all subway lines. The doors to your left will open.” Well, it seems that I was asleep longer than I thought. Whoops.

There are certain conversations and arguments that I do regret listening on, like the one that has landed me here, or the one I’m listening to now, about the mental shutdowns that have happen to some people. Let’s hope that nothing happens now.

The Shibuya Crosswalk is large; you could easily get lost just going from one side to the other. I was glad that I just had keep going straight ahead or I don’t think I would be able to get to Yongen-Jaya Station.

_BZZZZT_

Huh. I look down at my phone to see why it’s vibrating, it couldn’t be a text as who would want their child to be friends with someone with a criminal record, only to see some sort of eye icon pulsating above the map app I have open.

“What the” I say to myself. When the icon stretches across the screen, I begin to panic. _What the fuck is going on_. I look up just in time to narrowly avoid walking into someone, apologising as I go by, only to realize that he isn’t the only one stopped moving.

It’s like someone has hit the pause button on everyone but me. In the distance, standing up against one of many buildings is a fiery blue figure with a fast developing red grin. What I weren’t expecting (apart from a giant fiery whatever the hell it was and time to stop) was a carbon copy of me, the only differences being that the copy of myself had yellowy-golden eyes.

Before I knew it, everything was back to normal, the sights, the sounds, and the people. ‘ _What the hell is going on? Was it something that I ate?’_ Whatever it was, it was over. I look down at my phone and see the eye icon sitting there, looking more like an app more than anything else, so I delete it, if it does that every time it’s open, then it can go fuck itself. Simple as that and with that I carry on to Yongen-Jaya Station.

By the time I get to the Yongen-Jaya its mid-afternoon and I already feel like I’m home, I could get lost around here and still get home for dinner, but first I should find out where Ironwood-san lives. The few people that I ask told me that his house is in the backstreets of this area.

When I do find the place that I’m looking for, there is no answer, no matter how many times I press the doorbell. So it seems like I’m stuck here till Ironwood-san shows

“Excuse me” I hear someone say to my right.

“Yes” I say as I turn.

A delivery driver walks towards me. “Is Ironwood-san not home?” I shake my head.” Well given the time of day he should still be at his café, Leblanc. Do you mind doing me a favour and give this package to him when you see him? I got loads more deliveries to do and I don’t have time to navigate these streets.”

He’s already handed me the parcel and gotten back into his delivery truck before I could say anything. ‘ _Great another task to do, and know I’ve got to find a café called Leblanc. Great.’_ Finding took less longer than I thought seeing as there is a red and white awning saying Coffee  & Curry Leblanc.

Homely is probably the best way of describing the inside of Leblanc and the smell is incredible, who would of thought of putting coffee and curry together would create such a magnificent smell. The only occupants (apart from the delicious smell) are the manager? Who seems to be more engrossed in the newspaper he has hold of, and an elderly couple who are listening to the TV which is sitting on top a cabinet.

“A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its customers still in on! The citizens can’t live in peace if this keeps up.” A tabloid Show Host says.

“How frightening” the elderly male comments.

“What could be going on? Didn’t something similar happen just the other day?” States the elderly female.

“Vertical is…. the name of a shellfish used for farming pearls…” The manager mutters.

I cough to get his attention and say “Oysters.” His stern blue eyes lock on to me in an instance and I regret saying anything immediately. “Thanks.” ‘ _Well I weren’t expecting that.’_ “Oh right… They did say that was today.” He says as he stands up and put his newspaper on the bar.

The elderly man leaves some yen on the table and state that they’re both leaving and are out the door faster than one would believe.

“Four hours for just a single cup of joe” I turn towards him “So you’re Ruby?”

“I am, is Ironwood-san here?”

“Yeah, I’m James Ironwood. You’ll be in my custody over the next year. I was wondering what kind of unruly kid would show up, but you’re the one, huh? Follow me.” He turns and heads for the stairs, reluctantly I follow him.

To say that I wasn’t surprised would be an understatement, this attic? Store room? Is a complete mess, books, gardening equipment, cans, boxes and a plant to name a few items. _‘I’m going to have to clean this up aren’t I?’_

“This is your room” _‘Great’_   “I’ll at least give you sheets for your bed.”  He turns around to look at me. “You look like you want to say something”

“It’s cluttered.” I tell him.

“It’s on you to clean up the rest.” _‘Thought so’_ “I’ll be leaving after I lock up each day. You’ll be alone at night, just don’t do anything stupid. I’ll throw you out if you cause any trouble.” _‘Be good, got it’_

“Now then, I’ve got the gist of you situation. You protected some woman from another woman forcing herself on to her; she got injured, and then sued you. Right?” I nod.

“Well that’s what you get for sticking your nose into a matter between two adults. You did injure him, right?” I look down at the floor, I’ve been trying not to relive that day but there’s always something that brings it back.

“And now that you’ve got a criminal record, you were expelled from you high school. The courts ordered you to transfer and move out here, which your parents also approved.”  _‘My dad was the one who approved it’_ “In other words, they got rid of you for being a pain in the ass.” _‘He never liked the fact that his little girl bats for the other team.’_

“It’s best you not talk about anything unnecessary. I am in the restaurant business, you know. Behave yourself for the year, okay. If nothing happens, your probation will be lifted.”

“A whole year” I mumble to myself. “Yes a year.” _‘Shit’_ “If cause any problems, and you’ll be sent straight to juvie. Got it?” I mumble a quiet “Yes sir” hoping to come across as a timid teenager.

He then informs me that we’ll be going to Shujin Academy tomorrow, so I can introduce myself properly to the staff, and that my luggage arrived earlier. Then he’s off down stairs and leaves me in my new (but very dusty) room.

I’ve never been happier to see that cardboard box of mine, it contains the daily necessities that I need and more importantly clothes. I was never a big fan of skirts, even when I was a kid, after a change of clothing (consisting of a pair of well-worn combat boots, a pair of jeans, a blood red shirt and a blazer) and a thorough good clean of my new room, I was ready to crash and hard, if Ironwood-san didn’t walk up the stairs to find out what all that noise was about, I would have been out like a light in a matter of seconds.

After hearing Ironwood-san lock up the place up, I decide to check to see if he has actually left and has locked the main door before I get change and ready for bed. After everything is sorted and the alarm set, I final get to test my bed out. For a cushioned bench it’s not bad.

_BZZZZT_

“What now phone?” I say as I grab it, only to see that weird eye icon to be staring at me. “I thought I deleted you.” and with that it’s gone once more. “Right time for sleep.”

I begin to stir to the sounds of chains rustling and clanging together, the banging of metal on metal is what makes me sit in a flash, and it’s then that I notice the blue velvet jail cell that I’m in.

_‘Where the fuck am I’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this:  
> What belongs to you but others use it more than you do?  
> What am I?


	4. Not in Tokyo anymore

I begin to stir to the sounds of chains rustling and clanging together, the banging of metal on metal is what makes me sit in a flash, and it’s then that I notice the blue velvet jail cell that I’m in.

_‘Where the fuck am I’_

I raise my left hand to my head only to find that both hands are shackled together and that I’m wearing the typical black and white prison uniform. Clanging of metal on metal stops and I sigh in relief.

“PAY ATTENTION INMATE!” _‘Well she must have woken up on wrong side of bed’_ “Are master wishes to speak to you.” _‘Well this one seems happier’_ I get up off the bed and head towards the cell door to find that, not only do I have shackles; I also have a ball and chain attached to my left ankle.

When I reach the cell door, I finally see who was speaking. Two children? Standing there, one holding a police baton and the other a clipboard. Both wearing an eye patch on the opposite sides to one another and a buttoned up blue jacket with knee length shorts.

“Where am I and who are you two?”

They more too either side of the cell door to reveal the rest of the room beyond the cell that I’m in, more cell doors line the rest of the wall to form a circular room, with a singular person in a green suit sitting at desk.

“Trickster, welcome to my Velvet Room.” He says in a booming voice that doesn’t fit his build.

_‘Who is he calling Trickster?’_ I sigh heavily “Where am I” I say once more.

“The you in reality is currently fast asleep, you are only experiencing this as a dream.” The child to my left says.

“You’re in the presence of our master. Stand up straight!” The child hold the baton says. They both jester to man sitting at the only table in this prison.

“Welcome, I am delighted to make you acquaintance. This place exists between dreams and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a “contract” may enter. “ ‘Contract _? I don’t remember signing any contract’_ “I am Ozpin, the master of this place. Remember it well. I have summoned you to speak of important matters. It involves your life as well.”

“How important are these matters?” I wonder aloud, hoping to get any answers.

“Still, this is a surprise… The state of this room reflects the state of your own heart. To think a prison would appear as such.”

“WAIT; hold on, you’re saying that I created this prison?” I cut him off before he can say anything else.

He nods slowly “You truly are a “prisoner” of fate. In the near future, there is no mistake that ruin awaits you.” _‘Well, my life has already been ruined once, what’s one more.’_ “Worry not. There is a means to oppose a fate. You must be “rehabilitated.” Rehabilitated towards freedom, that is your only means to avoid ruin. Do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?”

“If it means that I can avoid this “ruin” you’re talking about and getting though this year. Then yes, I think I do” I respond.

“Good, very good. Then allow me to observe the path of your rehabilitation.” Then the two kids are standing in front of me. “Ah, pardon me for not introducing the others. To your right is Melanie; to your left, Miltia. They serve as wardens here.”

“Hmph, try and struggle as hard as you like.” The one known as Melanie says.

“The duty of wardens is to protect the inmates. We are also your collaborators. That is, if you remain obedient.” The other one known as Miltia says.

“I shall explain their roles when we next meet. Now then, it seems that the night is waning… It is almost time. Take your time to slowly come to understand this place.” He clicks his fingers and an alarm sounds all-round this Velvet Room.

I cover my ears and close my eyes as soon as the alarm starts, my head hurts, a lot, to the point where I’m crouching. I open an eye and reach towards Miltia for help, only to see that I’m falling though darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this?  
> I have hands, I can't clap, a face but can't smell, see or hear. But no legs or arms.   
> What am I?


	5. Shujin it be nice?

Date: 4/10

Time: Early Morning

With my alarm blaring, I jolt awake to find out that I’m on the floor, covered in a cold sweat. My head throbs in pain. Moving a hand up to push my hair out of my eyes and to try to ease my headache to little effect.

“What was that all about?” I wonder aloud.

I get up and turn the alarm off to grant me some form of peace and quiet whilst I try and remember what happed. Without realizing it, I’m changing out of my night wear and in to my Shujin uniform. Any other Sunday, I would of gone back to bed for another hour or so. Before I know it, I’m dressed and sitting on the edge of my bed waiting for Ironwood-san to pick me up.

“Ruin… Rehabilitation… and who was that Ozpin guy?” Ugh, just thinking about that place makes my head hurt.

“Hey! Are you up?” _‘Shit, I thought I had more time to think’_ I grab my glasses of the windowsill and shout “Yes” as I make my way down stairs. What I wasn’t expecting to see this early in the morning was James wearing a white trilby.

“Good morning Ironwood-san, how are you this morning?” I say with a massive smirk stretching across my face.

“What?” His gruff yet soft tone was making it hard to tell if knew that I was laughing (inwardly) at his choice of headwear or he just didn’t care about it.

“Nothing” I say. I don’t want to bite the hand that feeds my, especially on my first official day living here.

“Well then, let’s get going, I want to get back as soon as possible, Sundays can be one of the more busy days.” James says “Shujin Academy is over in the Aoyama district. It’s going to cost you a bit to ride the train there, and with what’s been going on recently, the route transfers are going to be a pain.” _‘And that is why I like the countryside more’_ “I’ll take you there, but just for today. Ok?” I nod. “Good, then let’s go.”

The ride over was long, quiet and very boring, to the point where I believe that I might have fallen asleep. All I remember was sitting in the car next to James in traffic and then we’re getting out and heading towards the Academy.

When we get outside a set of gates, James turns to me “Do me a favour and behave yourself, alright? I do have a reputation to uphold.” He then turns and heads through the gate and into the building.

I stand there for a couple of moments looking up at Shujin Academy. _‘It looks more like a prison than an Academy’_  

After climbing the stairs and walking in through the front doors, I see James standing there with a frown on his face.

“What did I tell you?” He says.

“To be on my best behaviour and to not cause you any problems.” I tell him in my best impression of him.

I see the edge of his lips curl slightly, but the frown remains.

“At least you can listen to orders, but it seems that you can’t follow them.” He tells me.

_‘Huh’_ “I was only having a look at the building.”

“Well you can do all the sight-seeing tomorrow. Okay?” I nod my head in understanding.

“Do you know where we are meant to be going?” I ask James as we start heading to the right of the beard store.

“We’re meant to be to go to the principal’s office.”

“And where’s that?”

“I don’t know.” _‘Great’_ “This is my first time here just as much as it is yours” He says with an angry tone.

“If you are going to the principal’s office, then you are going the wrong why, the way you’re heading in will take you towards the practical building.” A soft feminine voice from behind us says.

Now, I like to say that I’m quite observant and have good hearing, but wholly fuck; she must be a ninja to sneak like that.

I turn to see who spoke to us, to say that she beautiful would be an understatement, and I thought I was pale; she looked like a porcelain doll. Her baby blue eyes stand out against pale white complexion. Her hair was next curio. It was white, whiter then than her skin tone. It’s set in an off-centre ponytail with a hairpin that looked like a tiara.

_‘Well hello there Snow Princes’_ If she could read my mind then she would not be happy with.

I think she knew that I was checking her out if my blush had anything to do about it. She just smiled and asked if we were lost again. It was James who stole my spotlight by speaking first.

“Yes, do you know the way the principal’s office? I need to get this one” He points to me “there so she can officially start tomorrow.”

“Oh, so you’re the new transfer student?” She asks me.

I bow “Ruby Rose at your service.”

“A pleasure to meet you Rose-san, I’m student council president Weiss Schnee. If you have any problems, please don’t hesitate to come and see me.” The person now known as Weiss tells me.

I nod in agreement and say “You got it Schnee-senpai.” way too enthusiastically.

She smiles at me again and I swear that I must have gone a shade or two redder. It was James who broke this moment that Weiss and I were having.

“If you two are done flirting, can you tell us where the principal’s office is?”

At that, I see Weiss go wide eyed and turn a nice shade of red. She stutters out a “Yes” then she composes herself.

“Yes I can, if you would to follow me please.” She then turns on her heels and walks away before me or James could do or say anything.

Arriving at what I can only presume is the principal’s office; Weiss knocks on the door and a muffled “Come in” is heard and Weiss opens the door.

“I’ve brought the transfer student to see you Principal Lionheart.” She bows slightly.

“Ah yes, thank you Schnee-san. Now if you excuse us, we have a though things to discuss, and I’m sure that you have more pressing matters to deal with?”

“Of course Principal Lionheart” She bows again and turns towards the door to leave. I wink and mouth ‘Thank you’ to her as she walks by me.

With my attention no longer on Weiss, I turn it towards the adults in the room. There sitting at the only desk in the office, was Principal Lionheart. The most striking feature about the man was the mane of tan/grey hair and beard. The mustard colour suit was not the most attractive thing ever.

The other adult (Maybe a Teacher or the Principal’s Assistant) was wearing a nice looking yellow long sleeved shirt and a blue denim skirt, her yellow eyes where nice to look at but she looked exhausted, if the poor attempt at concealment the black bags under her eyes. But what I wasn’t expecting to see amongst her short black hair was a pair of cat ears with three gold piercings in them.

_‘A Faunus, huh. I if she likes her ears scratch?’_

“Right. Now that you’re both here, we can finally start with the paperwork, so that you can officially enroll here.” Principal Lionheart said. _Shit’_

**2 hours later**

2 hours of paperwork. 2 bloody hours of listening to the Principal going on and on about how well reformed I’ll be after my time at Shujin. James has just finished signing the last document when the Principal decides to speak up again.

“To reiterate, just so you’re clear, you will be expelled immediately if you cause any problems.” _‘Yes I gathered that’_ “Honestly, I was hesitant on accepting someone like you, but there were some circumstance on our side.” _‘I bet you do.’_ “You might have done a variety of things in hiding in your hometown, but you will behave yourself here. If you are thrown out from our school, there will be no place for you to go. Keep that in mind.”

_‘Finally’_

“Ah yes,” ‘ _Fuck’_ “I almost forgot. This is the teacher in charge of your class.” He gestures to the cat faunus.

“Hello, I’m Kali Toyoguchi, here’s your student ID and student rule book, be sure to read the school rules. Any violations will send you straight to the guidance office. And if by chance you cause any problems, I won’t be able to protect you at all.”

_‘Protection? What does she mean by that?’_

“That IS your promise, right Principal Lionheart?”

“She is responsible for all her own actions.”

“But really though, why me? There are better candidates for this.”

_‘What is going on here?’_ I look to James to see if he had any idea, he just shrugs.

“It was a sudden transfer and your class was the only one that had an opening.”

I was glad when James decided to interrupt them. “If you’re done explaining things, mind if we get going? I’ve got a store to get back to.”

“Oh yes, you can go, just keep an eye on her and don’t let her cause any trouble outside.”

“Don’t worry; I’ll be having a serious talk about the situation she’s in.”

Ms. Toyoguchi looks at me. “Come to the faculty office when you arrive at school tomorrow. I’ll show you to your classroom.”

And with that said me and James are out the door and heading towards the front entrance. I keep an eye out hoping to see Weiss as we descend the stairs. With no luck spotting her, I try to focus on anything but the white haired girl. Thankfully James had me covered.

“Hay! Are you even listening?”

“Sorry, could you repeat that.”

He sighs heavily and rubs the back of his head. “I said that they were treating you like some kind of nuisance.”

“Well I do I have a criminal record… and this scar over my left eye doesn’t help either.” I say as I trace the lower half of scar with my index finger.

“Well they do say that your past does follow you wherever you go. By the way, if you get expelled now, I won’t hesitate to kick you out. Got it?”

With a mischievous smile I say “I think I’ll scrape by.”

“I could save us all a lot of time and just kick you out right now if that’s going to be your attitude.” He tells me in an aggressive tone.

I look at him at with best puppy-dog eyes I can make with my glasses on, wondering if my party trick stills works.

He sighs again “Just… just come on” _‘Score’_

And with that, we head back to his car and stuck in traffic once again. _‘Bloody traffic sucks, Inaba never had this problem’_ I must have mumbled that last bit as James asks me to repeat it.

“Inaba never has any traffic problems”

“Well, post country people aren’t use to the busy life style of Tokyo. It would be BETTER if the traffic was moving” he groans in defeat “I’m not going to be able open up shop today.” Then he glances at me. “You’re talking the train starting tomorrow.”

_‘You told me that this morning’_

“So… do you think you can manage this school?”

“Its seams fun” I say with probably too much sarcasm.

“Do you even understand the situation you’re in?” _‘Yes I do’_ “Still, you were expelled once already and to think they re-enrolled you at a different one. Don’t expect anyone to give you sympathy.”

“Well who’s going to believe my side of the story?” I mutter.

“I just hope that you aren’t going to cause me any trouble.”

There’s silents between me and James for some time before I break it this time.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you this but, why did you take me in?”

“I know someone who’s a friend of your parents” _‘I know all of moms friends… it must be one of dads friends then’_ “I was asked by our mutual friend and I just… happened to agree to it. I’ve already been paid for it too, after all.”

_’WHAT??? You’re paying a complete stranger to look after me but you can’t afford to put me though piano lessons. WHAT THE FUCK DAD!!!!’_

I see James turn the radio up and I hear a newscaster talking about a subway accident that has happened in Shibuya but I don’t listen to fully, I just want to punch something.

I was feeling a lot better when I walked into Leblanc; all I wanted to do now was sleep. I apologize to James for not being able to open the café today and head upstairs, hoping to be left alone for the rest of the night.

I hear footsteps come up the stairs shortly after me. “I want you to record you daily activities for your probation. I don’t care what you do as long as it’s within the law and doesn’t cause me any problems.” Then he throws a diary on to a table next to the stairs and leaves when his phone goes off.

After changing in to my night wear, I check my phone to see if it needs charging, that is when I see that strange eye icon app thing. “What are you doing back?” After checking the setting and the memory and finding nothing, there was one only one option. Delete.

Finally, sleep time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this?
> 
> What is at the end of a rainbow?


	6. New Faces and a wrong turn.

Date: 4/11

 

I was glad that to not of woken up in the Velvet Room, but waking up in Leblanc was still strange. Ugh. I wish I didn’t have to get up soon. I crack an eye to see that it’s still night, reaching for my phone to check the time _‘Where are you pho….quilt save me’_

THUD

“Owww, fucking stupid kind of small bed” I lie there for a though moments, wrapped up in a cocoon of my quilt. Then I spot something familiar.

“What you are doing under the bed phone?”

Grabbing it and checking the time, I find out that I have an hour before my alarm is meant to go off.  

“Might as well get up.”

Changing outfits never took me as long as most girls my age, but the main problem was always my hair, even though it was shoulder length it was pain to style it. My hair always seems to end up in its usual style, parted on the left side with the odd tip of red sticking out.

With enough time left before I have leave, I go over my plan on how to get to Shujin. _‘Yougen-Jaya to Aoyama-Itchome then transfer to the Ginza Line, then to Aoyama-Itchome, let’s hope that I don’t lost on the way’_

As I make my way towards the stairs to grab my school, I notice the diary that James throw there the night before. I pick it up and place it in my bag and check to see if I had everything. _‘Pencils? Check. Notebooks? Check. Textbooks? Check. Wallet. Check, right lets hop that’s everything’_ Shouldering my school bag, I head towards the stairs.

Arriving downstairs to see James standing at the bar with a plate of curry and a glass of milk. He looks up at me with surprised look upon his face.

“Oh, you’re actually going to school?”

“Yes. Yes I am”

“In all honesty, I was thinking that you were just going to ditch school and then I get the enjoyment of kicking you out of here.” He tells me with a slightly angry tone.

“I’m not that much of delinquent.” I say in a joyful tone.

“Anyway here,” He nudges the plate of curry forwards a bit. “I’ll feed you; just make sure that you’re finish before any of the customers start arriving.”

I’m not the greatest lover of curry but having curry for breakfast. I must have had a look of disgust.

“What? Don’t you like curry?”

“I don’t mind curry… it’s just that I’ve never had curry for breakfast before.”

He sighs “Just eat it.”

 _‘I hope that it’s not too spicy’_ I pull the bar stool opposite James out and place my bag on the floor next to me. The first bite of the curry was not what I was expecting. It was delicious. I could taste the complex flavours within the bold spiciness, before I knew it the curry gone and the glass of milk was empty.

“You best leave now if you want to actually go to school”

I look up at James, then to the clock to the right of him. _‘Shit, time to go’_ with a bow and a thank you to James, I run out the door and was heading towards the station before he say anything else.

I was hoping that the rumours about the Tokyo subway being crammed weren’t true, unfortunately I was wrong. It was so crammed that I could see what game another Shujin student was playing on their PS Vita (some American RPG about a bunch of teenagers being able to go into a TV).

Losing interest in the game I look at the LCD screens that are placed above the doors and windows of the subway car, it seems like there’s still some lingering effects from the accident yesterday. _‘I hope that no one was too badly hurt’_ When the news starts talking about the weather, I turn my head towards the window to my right and let my mind wander for the rest of the journey.

Arriving at Shibuya, I knew the problem straight away. This place a maze and I had to transfer to the Ginza Line. ‘ _Time to follow the signs’_ Standing at the top of the stairs that lead to Station Square, I realize just how much I hate the subway system. _’Why do they have to close an entire pathway just to clean it?’_

Standing there at the top of the stairs, I take a look at my surroundings and see a LCD advertising Rise Kujikawa’s new album and I start to remember all the time that I spent helping her grandma out at her tofu shop back in Inaba and meeting Rise herself and her boyfriend Yu. After my trip down memory lane, I spot the Teikyu building and I dash towards it hoping that I can still catch the train.

* * *

Standing under an awning outside of a (rather small) Junes store, in the rain, slightly wet and cold, that I realize that I forget one thing to put in my school bag this morning. And that was my umbrella. It was a shame that Junes was closed or I would have brought a new one.

Pulling my phone out to check the time, I fine that I should have enough time to wait this patch of rain before the homeroom bell rings. I go to open the map only to see that strange eye icon again _‘What are you? And why don’t you stay deleted?’_

Before I could do anything with the icon, in the corner of my eye I see what I can only presume to be another Shujin student (judging by the blazer that she was wearing), walk up and stand next to me under the awning, what catches my eye first is her beep purple leggings and the black ankle high boots.

It wasn’t until she pulls her hood down that I see a head of black silky hair tied into pigtails, which is when I notice the cutest pair of cat ears. Ever. Even when they were nearly flat against her head and with the downtrodden look on her face, I just wanted to hug her tightly and tell her everything will be ok.

She must have known that I was looking at her because when she turns to look at me I see a smile playing across her lips and a flicker have happiness behind her eyes. Before I could do say hello, she turns away and looks up to the sky. It was peaceful, standing here outside of a Junes store (with the rain slowly coming to a stop) with an attractive Cat Faunus nearby.

I stick my hand out to feel the rain against my skin, when a car pulls over I start to panic. _‘I weren’t trying to flag a car down’_ When the passenger car window, there behind the steering wheel, sits a bull faunus, wearing a blue track suit.

“Good morning” He says “Do you want a ride to school? You’re going to be late.” A slight toothy smile forms on his face and I can’t help but feel sick just looking at him.

“Sure, thank you.” The cat faunus replies as she moves towards the bull faunus’s car, he then look at me and I knew that he was checking me out but the look of disgust that crosses his face means that he has seen my scar. _‘Let’s hope that deters you, you creepy shit’_ His smiles returns when the cat faunus finally seats herself down in his car, he then looks past her and straight towards me.

“Do you want a ride as well?”

 _‘Fuck no’_ “No thank you, I should be fine.”

“Suit yourself, just don’t be late.” Then the window rolls up and as the car begins to pull away I could hear the tell-tale sounds of someone running in this direction. _‘Probably another student trying to get there on time’_ I was half right, as it was a student running but he stopped just away from me.

I could tell he was monkey faunus just from looking at his tail. What stood out more was blond hair ‘ _Either he’s dyed it that colour or he got unlucky with gene pool’_

“Dammit… Screw that pervy teacher” There was enough venom in the guy’s voice to make a snake blush.

“…pervy teacher?” _‘That would explain why he was checking me out, so does that mean that…’_

“What do you want?” _‘Shit’_ “You plannin’ on rattin’ me out to Taurus?” I didn’t see that the monkey faunus had walked right up to me.

“Taurus? Who are you talking about?” _‘I’m going to say bull faunus?’_

A brief flicker of sadness washes of over his face before anger replaces it. “Huh? He was in that car just now.”

“Oh! The bull faunus!”

He sighs heavily “Yes, the bull faunus.”

“So what’s the problem with him?”

“He does whatever the hell he wants. He acts like he’s king of a castle.”

“I wonder which castle he belongs to?” I think aloud with a slow smirk gracing my lips.

“Uh, it’s just a… Not funny dude.” Then anger is written across his face. “Wait. How do you not know who Taurus is? Are you for real? You’re from Shujin, right?”

“Yes?”

“What? No other high school’s got a uniform like this.” I see his gaze travel down.

“My eyes are up here dude.” I see his face turn red from embarrassment.

“Woe, I weren’t looking, honest.” He rubs the back of his neck and looks down. “I noticed the badge you’re wearing; we’re the same grade then.”

“Oh”

“If you are Shujin student, I’ve never seen you before.” There’s silence for him for a minute, then he’s face lights up like a lightbulb. “You must be that new transfer student with the criminal record, then no wonder you don’t know him.”

“Wait” I grab his arm as he turns “How did you know about my record?” The look in my eyes must have been intense as he pales two shades whiter.

“…” ‘ _Wrong answer’_

“Tell me!” I must off tighten my grip on his arm as pain is written on his face.

“Aaah… fine, I’ll tell yah, just… just let go. Ok!” He starts to rub his arm after I let go. “It was leaked online last night, so the whole school should know by now and no, I don’t who leaked it, but my guess would be that Taurus did it.”

“Why would a teacher do something like that?” _‘Isn’t there a law against this?’_

“He hates students’ likes us.” The smile he wears is infectious as I feel my own starting to form and I can’t help but feel a bond forming between us.

“Any who, we better hurry or we’ll be late.” He says as he turns to carry on walking down the pathway.

I make about 5 feet before a sharp pain rang though my head; I grab my head with my free hand trying to anything that came to my mind to stop my head from exploding. Looking up to see the monkey faunus doing something similar. When the pain stop, the only thing left was a ring sound that was slowly fading, whether or not ‘monkey boy’ said anything to me was nether heard.  

“Hey! You comin’? I know a shortcut.” I look over to where ‘monkey boy’ is only to see him further down the pathway. _‘If we get there on time then I’m happy’_ With a quick jog, I catch up to him.

“Lead on then” With that, we walk a couple more feet before he turns left and heads down an alleyway _‘Suspicious much?’_ Letting the monkey faunus walk ahead of me by several paces for safety.

The only time that I’ve had that foreboding feel was when I was walking down one of the side streets back in Inaba, the night I tried being the hero. I weren’t expecting to get it after stepping in a small pudd…

“What the…?”

Hearing that, I rush around the corner to catch up with the monkey faunus, only to find him standing there dumbfounded before a castle.

“I take it that’s his castle?” I say with as humour as possible given the fact that there’s a castle before us and not a school. _‘Shit’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this.
> 
> How can the number four be half of five?


	7. A new gift and some bad memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a couple of changes.

Date: 4/11

 

"You're still not funny" He tells me with a look of disbelief still there.

"Oh you'll learn to like my jokes." I tell him. "Did we take a wrong turn or something?"

"Fat chance we did." He turns to look at me with a fierce gaze. "I've taken that route many times."

"So how did we end up outside of a castle then?"

"I don't know." Anger still present in his voice.

"Well this is Shujin." I say as I point towards the bronze plaque that says Shujin Castle.

He looks over towards the plaque and starches the back of his head. "What's goin' on here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine um…?" I realize that I've been following someone who knows more about me than I do him.

"Hmm… Oh yeah, the names Sun Wukong." He sticks his hand out towards me.

"Nice to meet you Wukong-san." I return the handshake.

"Bleh, none of honor-whatever, Sun is just fine." He gives me a thumbs up and toothy smile after letting going of my hand.

With a smile of my I say "Well Sun, you can call me Ruby."

"Planed on it, anyway shall we go in and ask?"

"Yeah, let's go inside a creepy castle, sure. I just hope they have the central heating on." The joys of wearing tights that aren't as thick as you thought they were and who knew this place and some form of weather.

"Well let's go then." Sun says as he's already walking across the drawbridge.

The foyer of the castle was your typical foyer for a castle (checked marble floor, red velvet rug with a gold looking trim, large ornate chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling and sconces dotting along the wall and pillars) but, the most disturbing thing to see is a large painting of Taurus standing in some sort of a heroic pose with a red heart printed cape around his neck with his torso exposed and a small gold looking crown on in head.

"Where's the dam school?" I hear Sun say I'm looking around at the decoration of the castle.

"I have to say, you guys have done a smashing job on the place snice yesterday." A smirk never leaving my face.

"What's goin' on here?" There's annoyance in play when Sun speaks.

"Don't you have the phone number for the school or something?"  _'I hope this works'_

He nods and I watch as he pulls his phone out and a groan that I wish he didn't do he say "No service? Where the hell are we?"  _'Fuck'_

We must of caused some commotion just standing here talking as a black knight shows up out of nowhere wielding a sword and shield. If it weren't for the armour clinking together, me or Sun would not have heard it coming. Just looking at the knight, it looked… to real for any cosplay that I've seen.

In the corner of my eye I see Sun approach the knight stating that he was freaked out and asking if the armour was real or not, all the while my eyes never leave the sword that the knight held in his right hand.

I wanted to tell Sun to back away, but the ever present treat of death looming in front of us had me rooted to the spot speechless. The feeling increased tenfold when another knight wielding a sword.

' _Shit shit shit fucking shit, I'm not even going make it through my first bloody day'_

I see Sun turn to tell me something only for the knight closes to him bash him with the shield; my hand reaches out as he collapses to the ground with a groan and a thud. I start to move towards him before pain and darkness is the only thing I feel.

* * *

_The smell of freshly baked cookies is what wakes me up and before I know it I'm jumping out of bed and heading downstairs to nab a cookie before they cool. I peak my head around the corner to see if my momma is in the kitchen and after not seeing her anywhere, I head towards the cupboards where we leave the glasses and mugs._

_With a glass of milk in my hands, I move towards the counter that cookies are on, I set the glass down on the floor and reach for the tray of cookies on my tippy-toes_

" _I don't need the steps no more, I drink milk for a reason" I say to myself._

_I managed to grab the edge of the tray only to find that it's still hot and to with a scream of pain I fall backwards bring the tray with me and sending the cookies flying._

" _RUBY"_

" _MOMMA" I yell between sobs until I'm picked up in familiar arms and sat upon the counter with a pair of hands grasping mine in search of any damage done._

" _Sweetie its ok, you're fine." She picks me up again and I nuzzle as best I could up against her whilst I whimper and sob._

_When I finally start to stop crying, I realize that we are sitting on the kitchen floor and after hearing a sigh from momma I lean away and wipe my eyes on the sleeve of my red hoodie, to see her place the glass of milk on the floor._

" _Hey, that's my milk." I say with as much annoyance as a 3 year old can muster._

" _Oh really?" She says with a light tone and a smirk._

" _Yeah!" I move to sit in her lap and tug slightly at her long red tipped hair._

_She picks up one of the fallen cookies and passes it to me after making sure it's fine to eat and within seconds the cookie is gone and I'm sitting there like a hamster, slowly chewing the cookie. I look up when I hear a chuckle from momma._

" _You feeling better Little Gem?" I nod my head and swallow the last of the cookie and reach for glass of milk and with a couple of gulps, the last of the milk is gone. When I set the glass down, I don't make eye contact with momma and I play with the ends of my hoodie, mumbling my words._

" _What's that Little Gem?"_

" _I'm sorry momma; I didn't mean to wruin the cookies." I look up to her with wet eyes and I lunge forward for a hug._

_I feel mommas arms wrap around me with a hand going up to my hair as she whispers words of encouragement._

" _It's ok Ruby, I know you didn't mean to ok. But I think it's best for you to wake up now."_

_I pull away from her when she says that. "What do you mean momma? I'm already awake."_

_She continues to tell me to wake up to the point where my tears are falling freely down my face till darkness overcomes me._

* * *

With a shove to my side, I sit upright and shout "MOMMA!" and I hear someone fall to the ground. I look over to see Sun sitting on the floor with a pained expression on his face, it's only then that I realize that we are no longer in the foyer of the castle, but in some form of holding cell and I was lying on a bit of wood.

"Are you ok Sun?" I ask as I go to get up.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm ok." He gets up and walks over to me to and offers his hand. "The question is, are you? You were tossing about quite a lot just now and just now you shouted for your mom."

I take his hand and stand up. "Thank you and yeah… sorry about that. A good memory turned bad." An emotion washes over his face and is gone in an instant.

"Anyway, where are we?"  _'If he wants to ask more he can, but right now, I want to get out of here'_

"It's no TV set in can tell you that now. It looks more like dungeon than anything else." He tells me as he walks over towards the cell door.

"Hay! Let us out! I know someon..." A pained wailing noise interrupts him and I quickly join him at the cell door trying to see where the noise came from. "The hell was that?" Another pained wailing noise is heard shortly after.

"Hay, I think those knights are coming this way" I turn and tell Sun.

"Shit. This is real bad! There has to be some way outta here!?" Sun says as he starts to look at a way to pry open one of the barrels.

"Unless you've got crowbar in your school bag, then you're not going to open them anytime soon." I say as I lean against one of the other barrels.

He turns to me with anger written across his. "Why aren't you helping me look?"

"Because the only way out is through that door and if only of those knights shows up, I'm sure that if both of us team up, we could get that sword they carry."

"No offence Ruby, but you're a girl."

"Yeah, and?"  _'He's going to say something sexist'_

"And I don't think you're gonna be good in a fight."  _'Bingo'_

With sigh I say "How do you think I got this scar?"

"How should I know?" He says with a raised voice. "I never read your reco…"

"Silence you two!"  _'Shit'_ "Be glad that your punishment has been decided upon." One of the many knights says in a slight robotic voice.

I turn to Sun "Looks like my plan won't work aye?"

"Yeah, no shit it ain't gonna work, there's too many of them."

"Silence" The knight from before speaks but it falls on deaf ears as me and Sun argues about my totally legitimate plan before a familiar voice is heard. "Will you to just give it up."

I watch Sun pale a bit and wide eyed as he mutters "Taurus" as he turns towards the cell door. I follow his gaze to see the bull faunus form before only with gold eyes and wearing a red heart printed cape and a gold looking crown upon his head and nothing else.

"When they told me that they had caught two intruders, I thought it was some petty thieves, but to think it'd be you, Wukong. Are you trying to disobey me again? It looks like you haven't learned your lesson at all, huh?" His gold eyes turn towards me. "And you brought a friend this time. You can't do anything for yourself."

"This ain't funny, you asshole!" Sun but almost shouts at this version of Taurus.

With a shift of his tone Taurus responds. "IS that how you speak to a king? It seems you don't understand the position you're in at all. Not only did you two sneak into my castle, you committed the crime of insulting me, the king."

He raises his right hand and I was glad that he was wearing some form of underwear and points it at us declaring that our punishment is death. Before I know it I'm being held by my shoulders, up against one of the cell walls, as I watch Sun getting punched into the ground by Taurus.

" _ **What's the matter Trickster? Are you simply going to watch?**_ _"_ A voice tells me and I start to look around frantically.

" _ **Are you forsaking him to save yourself?**_ "  _'I can't move away from the wall'_

" _ **Death awaits him if you do nothing.**_ "  _'No shit Sherlock'_

" _ **So answer me this. Was you previous decision a mistake?**_ "  _'No, it wasn't'_

There was silence in my head and then pain. It felt like something or someone was trying to claw its way out. Soon a scream is brought forth from me and the voice returns.

" _ **Very well… I heed your resolve.**_ " The pain intensify, I scream louder and my body starts to wither around.

" _ **Vow to me. I am thou, thou art I… Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice! Call upon my name, and release thy rage! Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!**_ "

As the pain subsides, I look up in time to see Taurus standing next to one of knights with its sword up to Suns neck.  _'Alright voice, let's see what you can do'_

"That's enough!" I say as a torrent of air washes over me and pushes the knights and Taurus into the wall. That is when I felt something pressed into my face, where my glasses normal sit.  _'_ **Rip it off. Pull it away and then we can some fun** ' A new voice tells me, a girlier version of my own. I reach for object without thinking and begin to pull.

There was little to no pain as I begin to pull the object off me as hard as I could, even though I could feel blood run down my face. I let a scream tear through me as I finally pull the mask? away, then I feel a warmth spreads over me as my vision is engulfed in a blue fire.

As I take a couple of steps towards where Sun is (who's up against the opposite side of cell), I feel the warmth stay behind me and then disappear. " _ **I am the pillage of twilight – Arsene!**_ "

I turn to regard Arsene as he continues to speak " _ **I am the rebel's soul that reside within you. If you so desire, I shall consider granting you the power to break through this crisis.**_ " "Give me you power Arsene." " _ **Very well.**_ "

"For King Taurus" I hear a knight to my left say and as I turn towards it, I watch as it falls to the ground in a black ooze, a through moments later a carved pumpkin carrying a lantern bursts out, raising one hand to the mask and the other towards the carved pumpkin and shout of "Arsene! Ravage them!" a set of black tendrils reach up from the ground below it and warp around the creature.

With a high pitch scream from the pumpkin, the tendrils pierce through the creatures head and with a bit more force, the tendrils split the pumpkin into pieces. ' **Yesss more, more of that neeed moore** ' The creepy voice whispers to me.

"What… What was that just now?" I look towards Sun as he gets up of the ground.

"Huh? Oh that, umm, I'm not sure, it felt great but I could really do with a nap." I respond as I lean against the wall. "Hey, where's Taurus?"

"He booked it when whatever that was destroyed that pumpkin. He did drop these." With a smirk he lefts up your typical set of cell keys on a ring of metal. "Oh and what's up with your clothes?"

With that I look down and expect to see my school uniform, but what I fine is that I'm wearing a white high-neck décolletage blouse and with brown studded wristbands on my arms, a overbust corset, a black ankle-length tailcoat that fades to red, black jogger-style pants, brown-black winklepickers, and a pair of red gloves.  _'Sweet!'_  Then I feel the warmth of the blue flames again and with it I'm back in my school clothes, glasses as well.

"Whoa, they went back to normal!" With a surprise he mumbles "What is this place?"

"It's a castle Sun, but right now, let's get out of here. I don't think I'll be able to summon Arsene again." I say as I push myself off from the wall

"Who?"

"You know? The tall creature with the tall top hat, wearing red with a set of large feathery wings?"

He shakes his head with a "Nope." I sigh  _'I'm going insane, great'_  "All I saw was a black ghostly figure standing behind you."

"Well… at least you saw something." I say sarcastically.

"Shut… Shut up!"

With a laugh, I head towards the open cell door and check to see if any more of those knight where coming.

"I think we're clear to leave Sun." I turn to face him only to be greeted with a school bag flying at me. With a side step and a hand out, I pluck the bag out of the air and hoist it on to shoulder.

"Hey, what should we do with these keys?" Sun asks as he strolls up to me with his bag on is back and spinning the set of keys around on his index finger.

"I say keep them, they might help us as we escape. Right let's get out of here."

"With that, Sun and I started to escape." I tell her as I lift my head to face her properly.

* * *

Date: Unknown

 

"You expect me to believe that Shujin Academy turned into a castle?" Her stern voice reminds me of her sister.

"Honestly, I didn't want to believe at first, but it should all make sense soon Schnee-san." Her blue eyes never straying too far from my. "But it's going to get stranger the further down the rabbit hole we go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No riddle this time.  
> All Feedback of any kind is welcome. I would like to hear what you guys and gals think about this story.


	8. What a first day at school.

Date: Unknown

 

I watch her close her eyes and take a deep breath in and out before she speaks again.

“Continue.”

I nod my head. “Well not a lot happened until we ran into our third or fourth dead end…”

* * *

 Date: 4/11

 

“Oh come on, another one?” I hear Sun say as he slumps to the floor. “How the hell are we supposed to get outta here?”

“It’s a shame we couldn’t find a map or something.”  As I lean against one of many creates that are here.

“Hey, you there!” A boyish voice says then I look over to Sun. “Did you say something?”

He looks up at me. “No. You sure you didn’t hear the screams again?”

“No, it sounded more like a voice then a scream”

“Lets get outta here, I’ve had enough of this place” I watch as Sun stands up and walk past me, with a quick look around to see if I could see the person the voice belonged to, not seeing anything I turn to catch up with Sun.

Somehow we ended up back in the foyer though one of the doors on the ground floor and seeing that there was a couple of knight patrolling the second floor. With the coast kind of clear, Sun and I dash towards the main door and are gone before the knights knew anything happened.

* * *

Making it to the alleyway is where I feel the change; I look over to Sun and to see him bent over and clutching his left knee, whilst huffing and panting. _‘So that’s why then’_ I lean up against one of the walls to try and catch my breath.

Feeling my phone vibrate in my inside pocket of my school blazer, as I pull my phone out, we are greeted by a female voice.

“You have returned to the real word. Welcome back.”

“Returned? What the fuck was that place?” Sun says as he stands and turns to me.

“That would be this app on my phone.” I say as I show him red eye icon on my phone. “It showed up on here a couple of days ago, can’t seem to get rid of it.” I let out a sigh “Anyway, we’re out and I for one, I’m starving”

“Same here.” Sun Replies.

As we move towards the school, I put my phone away and a new voice joins us.

“It’s rare to see you with company Mr Wukong.” I look up to guy standing at the top of the stairs _‘Who the fuck ar…’_

“Shit, why did it have to the counsellor?” I hear Sun grumble.

“Not the best way to start your probation Miss Rose. Now where have you two been roaming around until this time?” _‘They won’t believe us if we told them’_

Before I could say anything Sun speaks up. “Uhh. A cas- a castle.”

Silence greats us for what feels like hours even though a couple of minutes have passed, and the urge to punch Sun rises with each passing second. The tension was cut when the counsellor speaks up. “So, you have no intentions of giving an honest answer?”

“What’s this about a “castle”?” A familiar voice interrupts us all as Taurus walks up and stands next to the counsellor, thankfully dressed in gym clothes.

Looking slightly to my left, I could see that Sun wanted to say something and like a kettle, it was only a matter of time before…

“Taurus!” His voice was laced with anger.

“You seem so carefree, Wukong. It’s quite a difference from when you did morning practice for the track team.” Taurus says with an odd grin on his face.

Anger still present in Suns voice. “Shuddup! It’s your fault that…”

“How dare you speak that way to Mr Taurus.” The counsellor says, interrupts Sun.

_‘What makes him so bloody special’_ I think as I pull my phone out to do a quick internet search on the “King”, ignoring the rest of the conversation to the point where I didn’t know that Sun had left with the counsellor, leaving me alone, with Taurus.

Putting my phone away, (before I could make any real search progress) I make way up and towards the main doors to the school, past Taurus. His gaze never leaves me as I walk. When I reach the top of the stairs, Taurus final speaks up.

“You’re that new transfer student, correct?” I nod my head in confirmation and he scratches the back of his head. “Have we met somewhere?”

“This morning, you picked up a cat faunus in a Shujin uniform.” I say.

“That’s right… I remember now. Well… I’ll overlook this just for today.” I bow slightly. “I’m sure you’re heard from the principal, but cause any trouble and you’ll be expelled. Understand?”

I respond with “Yes, I know, my guardian has told me that and my mom has told me that.” He looks annoyed when I finished speaking.

“Well, at any rate, hurry up and go to the faculty office, I’m sure Ms. Toyoguchi’s tired of waiting.”

As I turn and leave Taurus, he speaks up again in a mocking tone. “Oh, good luck trying to enjoy your new school life.” _‘This can’t be good’_

* * *

When I enter the school, the first thing that greats me are the chatterings of other students and the odd teacher. Remembering that there’s a bread shop on the ground floor, I stop there to find that there is only a couple of bread with some form of jam on it left.

Minus 240 Yen and with a full stomach, I head towards the stairs to the second floor. As I climb the stairs I hear a female voice call for me on the ground floor. I turn to see a familiar head of white hair power walking towards me. _‘Hello Snow Queen’_

I descend the few stairs that I climbed with a toothy grin present and I bow dramatically and say “Good afternoon Schnee-senpai, how are you this even?” and when I stand up, I notice that there is a slight dusting of pink across her face.

It’s then that I realize that everyone is looking at me after what I just did and that is when chatter of the other students.

“ _Isn’t that the transfer student, she has no chance with the council president._ ” _‘I can try right?’_

“ _I’ve heard that she a knife her bag._ ” _‘Never have done’_

“ _I heard that she’s a super problem child, and no other school will take her._ ” _‘For my dad yes’_

Blocking the talk of the student body, I focus my attention back on Weiss.

“I-I’m good thank you, you are extremely late today, any reason for that?” The stern look she gives sends a chill down my spine.

I scratch the back of neck and chuckle slightly. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” I say as I meet her gaze.

“Try me.” Is her only response. _‘Well… shit.’_

 “Well… umm… Me and Sun got lost… in a castle.” _‘Please buy it, please buy it.’_

“You’re right.” _‘Please’_   “I don’t believe you.” _‘Shit’_ “Look, just don’t be late again; your education is very important. Ok.”

With a deep bow I say. “I’m sorry Schnee-san, It won’t happen again.” As I right myself, I see a pleasant smile on Weiss’s face.

“Good, do you need directions again or do you know where you are going this time?” She asks.

I chuckle again. “Just point me in the direction of the faculty office and I’ll get out of your hair.”

Like a robot, she tells me how to get there. “Second floor, near the principal's office and the meeting room, last two doors on the left.” With another bow and wink, I turn and leave for the faculty office with the eyes of the student body following me.

Arriving outside of the room, I take a breath and knock on the door and enter to a partially empty room. Walking up towards the sole occupant of the room, who turns out to be Toyoguchi-sensei. As I approach, she turns to me with a yawn and tired eyes greet me.

“Unbelievable. Being over half a day late on your first day? Care to explain yourself?” Ms. Toyoguchi asks.

“Would you believe me if I told you that me and Sun got lost in a castle?”

“You can’t be serious. Will you pull yourself together? You were given fair warning yesterday.” She sighs and turns her head away from me and mumbles something. When she turns back, she asks.

“You said you were with Wukong-san?” I nod. “Don’t get involved with him, ok? He’s been nothing but trouble since the incident. He was devoted a lot of time to track and field before it happened…” She trails off and gets a distant look on her face. _‘Is she fantasizing about Sun?... What the fuck is going here?’_

“Umm… Toyoguchi-sensei?”

Her cat ears twitch slightly and her eyes snap to me. “…Anyway. Lunch is almost. Classes will end after fifth period today due to the subway accident. I’ll get you to introduce yourself when classes resumes.” A bell rings. “Ah. Follow me please.” She gets up and leaves and I quickly join her outside of the room.

Seeing the last few student rush towards their homeroom, I follow Toyoguchi-sensei through the halls. “By the way, when you introduce yourself, be serious about it even if you’re lying to the class, ok? Do not say anything unnecessary.” I remain silent as Toyoguchi-sensei speaks and leads me towards classroom 2-D.

When Toyoguchi-sensei opens the door, the chatter all but stops as I follow Toyoguchi-sensei inside and as Toyoguchi-sensei steps behind her desk with me standing nearby, the room is engulf in chatter once again.

“ _Being super late on her first day? She really is insane._ ” _‘Don’t care’_

“ _She looks normal though, she’s kinda cute even…_ ” _‘Thank you dark-haired guy’_

“ _True, but she might slug us if we look her in the eye._ ” _‘You I might’_

“ _I heard that she got that scar from fighting with a yakuza guy._ ” _‘Better story than what happen’_

“Settle down everyone.” The chatter continues. “I said SETTLE DOWN.” Toyoguchi-sensei nearly shouts and the classroom goes deafly quiet. “Thank you. Well, I’d like to introduce a transfer student, Ruby Rose. Today, we… had her attend from the afternoon on since she wasn’t feeling too well.” She turns to look at me. “All right, please say something to the class.”

“Umm… Hello.” I wave slightly and silences is what greats me till I hear a fellow classmates speak up just loud enough to be heard.

“ _She seems quiet... but I bet when she loses it…_ ”

“ _I mean, she was arrested for assault, right?_ ”

“So… uhh, your seat will be… hmm… over there, by the window.” _‘Window seat, sweet’”_ Also, can the people nearby please share your textbooks with her today?”  Toyoguchi-sensei asks and a groan escapes comes from several of the students that where near the only empty seat.

As I move towards my seat, I see a familiar head of black bushy pigtails and cat ears. _‘So you and I are in the same class it seems’_ Her golden eyes track me as I walk towards my desk and if it weren’t for the fact that the classroom was mostly quiet I wouldn’t of heard her hiss at me. “Liar!”

I ignore her and say with small smile “Hello again” and take a seat behind her. As I place my bag beneath my desk that is when I hear more chatter about me and who I now know as Belladonna-san. When the students continue to talk, I remove my glasses and place them on my desk and start to rub my eyes. _‘This is going to be a long afternoon.’_

* * *

When the bell rings to signal the end of the school day, I make for one of the doors before anyone and head towards the stairs. I hear Sun call for me as I reach the second floor.

“Ruby, can we talk?” He asks as he catches up with me.

“You can, I’m heading to what I’m calling home for a year.”

“I just wanted to ta…” He begins, but I interrupt him.

“If it’s about what happen to us earlier, it’s probably best if we talk about it somewhere a bit more private, don’t you think?” I stop half way down the stairs to the ground floor and turn to Sun.

“Oh, yeah, right.” Sun response as he nods slightly.

“But right now, after everything that has happen, I just need some rest. We can talk about “it” tomorrow. Ok?”

“Oh, yeah, sure. Good night then.” A sad look forms on his as I turn and head home.

* * *

The smell coffee perks me up a bit as I step through the door and into Leblanc, but the exhaustion fights back as I continue into the empty café. Appearing from the kitchen, James begins to talk.

“I got an interesting call from your school today.” _‘Oh for fuck sake’_ “It’s only your first day and you’re already showing up hours late?” Frustration evident in his voice.

With a small bow I say “I’m sorry Ironwood-san, it won’t happen again.”

James walks down the other side of the bar and speaks in a softer tone. “And here I thought you got up and left on time this morning. Look, just behave yourself. Your life’s forfeit if anything happens. You understand the meaning of probation, right?”

“The release of an offender from detention, subject to a period of good behaviour under supervision.” I respond in a tired voice.

Before he could speak, his phone starts to ring and as he start to talk to whoever I walk by and mouth good night to him and head upstairs.

Leaving my school bag on the bench near the stairs, I remove my glasses and put my phone on the windowsill, I lie-down with the content of getting up again to change out of my uniform, but as my head touches the pillow I’m out like a light.

* * *

Hearing a noise that I hope was only in a dream, I open my eyes to see the blue velvet wall and ceiling. Without the regards of the occupants of this prison I say “Not again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Notes
> 
> So I've been thinking, do you ladies and gentlemen prefer the longer chapters or the shorter chapters?  
> Any questions please feel free to ask away and thank you for reading this story.


	9. Back to once we came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The actual chapter this time. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has stuck around and I do apologies once again.
> 
> But enough rambling, here is Chapter 9 of Beneath the Rose-Tinted Mask, enjoy.

Date: 4/11?

 

It was Melanie’s voice I hear first (I think) as I finally sit up and move towards the edge of the bed. “About time you came to.” Her voice pierces through my head like needle does to cloth. Before she could carry on talking, I interrupt her.

“Can’t you guy let me sleep in peace?” I groggily say I rub my eyes of any sleep that might have formed.

“Our master wishes to speak with you, it’s for your own sake that you take his words to heart.” Miltia speaks with a softer tone from the other side of the cell door and ignoring my question all together. I shift my gaze from Miltia to Ozpin, waiting for him to speak in that oddly deep tone.

“First off, let us celebrate our reunion.” Ozpin says whilst never getting up from the desk, I ask my question again.

“Can’t you guy let me slee…” The sound of metal on metal rings throughout the prison cell and I wince at the sound.

“The Velvet Room is a room located between consciousness and subconsciousness, only those who have formed a contract may be granted residency here.” Ozpin continues. “It’s seams that your powers have awakened. Your rehabilitation can finally begin.”

“This is the second time you’ve mention that, what is going on?” I ask and I tense slightly as I half expect another strike of the baton from Melanie against the cell door, but then I hear a chuckle from Ozpin.

“There is no need for you to understand it all for the time being. For now, you will be training in the power of Persona, which you have awakened to. Personas are, in other words, a mask of the heart when confronting worldly matters.” He pauses and those wide bloodshot eyes never leave me, he then adds. “I have high expectations for you.”

“Wait, what do you mean by that?” I ask as I stand and move over to the cell door, grabbing the bars

“There is no need to worry. You will learn when the time comes.” He says with amusement in his voice.

“I think I would like to learn it knoOWW… Do you mind Melanie?” I ask even though I know she won’t talk to me and rubbing my hand. _‘Note to self: her baton hurts’_

I notice Ozpin shift and lean on the desk a bit more than normal in the corner of my eye and his oddly deep tone of voice sends a chill down my spine when he speaks again. “By the by… have you come to appreciate the Metaverse Navigator? Using it will allow you to come and go between reality and Palaces.”

“I’m sorry, the What Navigator?” I ask and I hear a collective sigh form Melanie and Miltia.

“The Metaverse Navigator…” Ozpin says again. “I bestowed it to you as a means to train you as a thief.”

“The Metaverse Navigator is a gift from our master! You better take care in using it Inmate!” Melanie turns to me as she speaks and her voice still pierces through my head.

“Devote yourself to your training so that you may become a fine thief.” Miltia speaks with the same soft tone as before that seems to sooth the pain.

“It must be disheartening to make use of the Metaverse Navigator alone.” Ozpin speaks straight after her in that deep tone that I’m starting to dislike. _‘Well seeing as I’ve accidentally used it once, I wouldn’t say that I’m alone in using it’_

“Should there be other who would prove beneficial to you, I shall grant it to them as well. This is all for you to grow as a most excellent thief.” As Ozpin finishes speaking, the loud ringing noise returns and the feeling of darkness surrounds me as the floor gives way.

* * *

Date: 4/12

 

Hearing an alarm going off, I sit up in bed and reach for my phone to check the time and hopefully turn the noise off. After turning the alarm off, I realize that I slept in my uniform, but the more worrying thing was, was that my blazer was draped over one of the chairs and I immediately start checking to see if anything of mine was missing and to see if I was fine.

I stop all motion when I hear someone start to walk up the stairs, only to see James holding a cup of coffee and a small plate of curry. “Finally.”  He says as he walks into the attic proper. “I was wondering when you were going to turn that alarm off.”

I watch with slight wide eyes as he walks over to the small table near the booth like seat and places the cup and plate down and turn towards me. “I don’t know what you did yesterday, but you were out like a light when I came up here to tell you that I was leaving and to tell you not to touch any of my coffee jars.”

I don’t respond and I keep looking at him with same expression as before, I probably looked like a right mess but I didn’t care, I felt exposed knowing the fact that he (a person that I don’t now at all) took my blazer off.

With a meek voice I ask. “Why… why did you remove my blazer?”

“I’ve slept like that before and very close friend weren’t too happy when she found me.” He says with a distant look in his eyes and a smile playing across his lips. Within an instant, the expression is gone and is replaced with a stern and annoyed look.

“Just don’t expect this kind of treatment all the time. You got that?” James asks me and I remain quiet and nod my head. “Good.” I watch as he turns and heads towards the stairs but stops when he reaches the top and says. “You should probably get changed, eat and drink that and get going, or you’re going to be late.”

I nod and mouth thank you and wait for him to disappear down stairs. When I hear the sound of some kitchen equipment start up, I make a move to untangle myself form my quilt, when I finally do I remove the school jumper that I slept in and throw it on the booth seat and regret it as soon as it lands on the seat. I move quickly over toward the bit of Inaba that I brought with me to find one of the red shirts that I love some much and an umbrella.

With a change of shirt, skirt and a pair of tights, I sit down and eat and drink the curry and coffee that James brought up for me. How he manages to be able to create such amazing food and drink that complement each other so well.

With a the curry and coffee gone, I realize that I must of kicked my school shoes off at some point during the night, I get up and go to the table by the stairs to grab my combat boot and begin the process of lacing them up. Once that task was done I grab and put on my blazer and my glasses, grab my bag, the plate and cup and head down stairs.

When I get down stairs, I see James standing behind the counter with a frown on his face and a newspaper in his hands and a white haired woman wearing an equally white suit sitting at the bar slowly drinking form the cup in front of her. _‘You, are not Weiss, so I’m going to say sister?’_ I see James look over towards me when I walk past the TV and he nod over at the sink that is just inside the kitchen and I return the nod and place the plate and cup in there.

When I get the front door I stop and turn around to face James and say. “Thank you again James” and the look he gives me at first is of shock but then turns to happiness as he smiles wide and brightly and I can’t help but think that I can change his opinion about me.

I hear a small chuckle come from the woman in white before she speaks up. “Even though Rose-san isn’t your own, you still treat her like she is.” _‘You know my name so who, the fuck, are you?’_

Me and James look at the white haired woman, him in shock and me with more questions being asked then answered. I was glad that James spoke up before the silences got to awkward. “I’m surprised to hear you say Prosecutor Schnee. Just the other day you were in here threatening to take Penny away from me due to false accusations.” By the time James had finished he had crossed his arms with the newspaper forgotten on the floor and anger clear in his voice.

When I hear the word ‘prosecutor’, I feel my heart start to beat faster and my palms start to feel sweaty. _‘What the hell is a prosecutor doing here? Did Weiss tell her sister about my criminal record and now she’s here interrogate me?’_ Before my brain could continue down that train of thought, Prosecutor Schnee speaks up.

“Those accusations were made by her uncle, a blood relative nonetheless. But I’ve come to enjoy coming here for coffee and frankly that uncle of hers is becoming a nuisance anyway.” Blue eyes turn to look at me before she speaks again. “And yes, I know all about you and your situation Ruby Rose. The knight in shining armour look does not suit you at all.” _‘I’ll show you’_

I watch her check her watch and then look back at me. “Shouldn’t you get going, school starts soon.” I pull my phone out of my blazer pocket and see that she is right and with another thank you to James, I open and close the front door, pop my umbrella and jog to the train station.

* * *

How I manage to school on time was beyond me, but as I climb the stairs, a thought crosses my mind. _‘What the fuck was that castle all about though?’_ And as I reach the main entrance, I could hear the chatter of the students from outside and with a shake; I put the umbrella away and enter the school. That is when it goes quiet and whispers and rumours start up again.

“ _Wow… she actually showed up on time._ ”

“ _Really, shit, I was hoping that she wasn’t going to show._ ”

“ _I’ve heard that she’s’ been having “fun” with the track traitor._ ”

“ _WHAT!! Really, I’ve heard that Belladonna-san is cheating on Taurus with her._ ”

I manage to block the rest of them out and I start to wonder if it was the right choice in speaking to Belladonna-san the other day and dragging her into the fray. I keep my head down and my eyes locked to the floor, with the whispers and eyes following me as I make my way to classroom 2-D. 

When I walk in to the room, I notice that there was another student already sitting at one of desks and he must have heard me open and close the door as he physically helps in his chair and turns to luck at me. Short blond messily hair frame a pair of shocked dark blue eyes that lock on to me and a look of dread washes over his bruised and plastered face. _‘I’m talking about medical plasters Schnee-san, he wasn’t drunk’_

He turns away from me as quickly as before and I’m great full for silences as I make my way to my desk and sit down and wait for the inevitable onslaught of the day.

* * *

I was glad when lunchtime rolled around as it meant two things: 1. Food and 2. I can find somewhere that is nice and quiet. And seeing as food was the top priority, I grab my bag and head for the only place I know where I can get food.

As soon as I make it to the ground floor I see Sun walking straight towards me holding what looked like fried bread in its plastic bag in each hand. When he stops in front of me he hands me one of the bread and tells me to follow him and then walks in the direction of the stairs and starts to climb them two at a time.

I watch him disappear and I look at bread trying to remember what Sun wanted and when my brain clicks on to what he was on about. When I turn around to make a beeline for the stairs is when I feel I cold shiver down my spine and with a quick glance around and seeing most of the student body looking at me, I just duck my head again and walk as fast as I can to catch Sun up.

Arriving at the rooftop door, after having to ask the blond hair boy from before if he had seen Sun and finding out that Sun like to hang out on the rooftop, I find a sign that states that the roof is off-limits but looking at the door, it looked unlocked. _‘Strange to leave the door to the roof unlocked when it’s meant to off-limits… then again Yasogami High allowed students on  the roof all the time so…’_

When I open the door, I see Sun sitting there in one of the many chairs up here looking at his phone and with a foot resting on top of a desk as well, with the empty plastic bag sitting there nearby. With the noise of the door closing, he looks up at me with a furrowed brow and a steely gaze.

“Finally, there you are.” Sun says as he puts his phone away, his face softens a bit. “Sorry for callin’ you up here like this.”

“No worries” I say as I move over to one of the desk, put my bag down and lean against it. “I was planning on trying to find some place quiet and out of the way, the library was my first thought.”

Sun laughs before he speaks again. “Really? What are you a nerd?”

“I enjoy reading ok!” I say with a bit of offensiveness.

After Sun had finished laughing, he lifts his foot off of the a desk and places it on the floor, leans forward and clasps both of his hands and looks up to me before speaking again. “I bet Toyoguchi already told you stuff like “don’t get involved with him,” huh?”

“She did mention something like that, that and that you’re trouble.” I respond.

“Toyoguchi is a great teacher and all, but she can get swept up in the rumours, she probably dislikes you already.” After Sun says that, a long pause hits. _‘What do you really want to talk about Sun?’_

“So… What was all that that happened yesterday? You know, how we almost got killed in a castle… it wasn’t a dream right? You remember it too, yeah?” Sun finally ask me.

When he mentions the castle, the events of yesterday play out before like they just happened. I nod and weakly say “Yeah.”

“Well, just ‘cause we both remember it doesn’t mean much though. I mean, even if it was dream you saved me from Taurus. So yeah… thanks Ruby.” He looks briefly at with a dusting of red on his cheeks and then looks down to the floor. _‘Aww, he’s embarrassed’_

“It’s nothing,” I tell him. “You would have done the same thing if you were in my position.”

“But man…” Sun starts, but we were interrupted by the door opening and I see Sun stand up with a scowl on his face and venom in his voice as speaks. “What do you want prez?” As I turn to face Weiss, fierce baby blue eyes burns into me and another cold shiver runs me.

“You” Weiss extends her left arm and points at Sun, who now stands to the left of me. “…Wukong-san, should know by now that the rooftop is off-limits to almost everyone.

“And you” She points at me briefly before she lowers her arm to her side. “…should know better than to hang around delinquents like Wukong-san.”

In the corner of my eye I see Sun take a step forward and before I know what I’m doing, my left arm snaps in front of Sun. I feel slight pressure against my arm before I see Sun step back and out of my sight. I take a couple of steps forward and after performing an over the top bow I speak with a bit hostility in my voice. “I don’t know what Sun has done to be labelled a delinquent, but other than you my Snow Princess, Sun has treated me like a normal teenager. So please don’t judge a book by it cover.”

Looking at Weiss’s face and seeing the blush spread across her face in a rapid formation, it’s then that I realize what I had just called her. _‘Oh god, why did I have to call her that, now she’s going to think that I’m a perv’_ Feeling heat rise across my own face, I start to feel warm whist standing on the roof and the silence becomes deafening till she finally gains some composure.

“I-I’m g-going to pretend that I didn’t that, but just be careful ok.” We lock eye contact for the briefest of moments but I could feel the warmth form her and I let a sunny smile dance across my lips and as turns to head back inside the school, my eyes follow her till the door closes and they remain there till I see Sun standing in front of me.

“Yo, what was that all ‘bout? And calling the prez ‘Snow Princess’?... Wait, really? You have a thing for the ‘Ice Queen’?” Sun says and I can’t help but feel like he has hit the nail on the head with that.

“I find her cute, okay.” I rub the back of my neck and look towards the floor. “I’ve only met her twice, but I kind of like her.” I look back up with a stern gaze and at Sun. “Why did you call her Ice Queen?

“She doesn’t have that many friends because her childhood, but other than the odd rumours, she top in nearly all of her classes and she only speaks to people when it helps her or the school out.” He states and I try to commit it to memory.

It’s then that I realize that this topic might become strange, so I change the subject. “I might know a way back to the castle.” I pull my phone out and show him the eye icon. “Its call the Metaverse Navigator, apparently it will let us travel to places like the castle. So if you want, we can go back there and try to figure out what that place is all about.”

“Isn’t that that app from the other day?” I nod and the look he gives me is one of content and determination as he tells me. “After what that Taurus did to me, there has to be a way to take him down.”

“Well let’s meet up after school and we can find a way in.” I say with a bit too much enthusiasm.

“Sure, we can… wait, what? You don’t know how to use that Meta whatever?” A shocked look appears on Suns face.

“Of course I don’t, I wasn’t given an instruction book when I was told the name of the app.” I say with pure annoyance.

I hear a loud groan form Sun as he turns around and forcefully pushes the chair that he was sitting on and into the others behind it, and with a clatter and clang of plastic chair on plastic chair, my danger sense flares up and I take a few steps back and raise my hands in defence.

“Woah, easy there Sun, we got there somehow, I’m sure we can get back there.” I say in a hope that he clam down.

He turns around with a look anguish and I see him visible slump. “Fine.”  He says as he walks past me and back into the building, leaving me alone on the roof top.

As I grab my bag, I take a brief look around the roof and say out loud to myself. “Yeah, this could do. Just need to move those vegetables plots and the chairs and desks and I should be fine.” And then I head back inside as well.

* * *

When the final bell rang to signal the end of the school day, I couldn’t be pleased as it meant no more chalk being thrown at me from Mr. Oobleck. When I final get outside the school, I see Sun leaning up against the wall near the gate.  As I make my descent down the stairs, I notice Sun motion to follow him into the alleyway and after arriving in the alleyway is when he finally speaks up.

“About time, was starting to think you were trying it on again with ‘Ice Queen’.” Sun says with a smirk.

 _‘Please stop calling her that’_ “Nope, nothing like that. I don’t even know where to begin with girls to be honest.” I reply and the look I get back from Sun is of disbelief.

“Don’t look at like that Sun, I thought we were here for another reason?” I ask hoping to try and change the subject once again.

“You’re right. Let’s try and take that bastard Taurus down!” Sun responses in a serious tone and look that I was not expecting from him.

I take my phone out of my pocket and find the Metaverse Navigator app. “So, last time, the app opened suddenly before you showed up Sun.” I open the app and was greeted by a weird looking UI. When I look up, I see Sun leaning up against the wall, with his bag on the floor and a half eaten banana in his hands.

“So how’d we end at that castle then?” He asks as he eats the last bit of the banana and throws the peel into an open trash can and after a fist pump when the peel goes in, he turns and grabs my phone out of hand and starts to press way on the screen.

“Oh hay! I found your search history.” He turns my phone around and shows me that, yes, there is a search history. “Oh man, I’m such a genius!” he says with so much enthusiasm that I decide to let him have this one. “Let’s try usin’ it.” After he says that a synthetic voice speaks up from my phone.

“Taurus… Shujin Academy… Pervert… Castle… Beginning navigation.”


	10. The Field Trip to another world

Date: 4/12

 

A sense of vertigo briefly washes over me, as a strange red and black ripple transforms the once prison like school into the tall, ugly castle that looks more like a set for a TV show than anything else. I look over at Sun to see him hunched over and panting.

“Few… thought I was gonna throw up.” I hear Sun say as he stands up straight. “Woah… your clothes!”

“What about me clothes?” I say as I look down and notice that I am wearing the outfit from yesterday.

“What’s with that outfit anyway?” Sun asks me with crossed arms and a shocked expression on his face.

“Sweet.” I say with probably too much enthusiasm as I continue to inspect my new clothes.

“What? You LIKE it?” Sun says a bit too loud for my liking with the same shocked look.

I nod my head and say. “Of course! It’s not every day I get to look awesome!”

“What’s goin’ on here? This makes no effin’ sense at all.” Sun says as he kicks the ground with a downtrodden look.

“Honesty, I don’t know. Hell I still don’t really understand how we got here.” I say in a solemn tone and then it dawns on me that Sun still has my phone. I hold my right gloved hand out. “My phone please.”

Sun looks at me with a bewildered look. “What?”

With a sigh, I repeat myself and point to my phone in his hands. “My phone back, please.”

A look of realization crosses his as he hands my phone back with a sorry. As I put my phone away, I start to walk at a quick pace across the drawbridge, completely ignoring Sun’s protests to wait for him.

Stopping in front of the main doors, I hear Sun speak up. “Geez… what’s gotten in to you?”

Ignoring Sun further, I try opening the door, only to find it locked and with a quick look, I find the keyhole. “Hey, do you still have those keys on you Sun?” I ask whilst still looking at the door.

“If you’re talkin’ about the ones from yesterday?” I hear Sun ask and I nod in response, then I start to hear a rustling noise as Sun speaks again. “I couldn’t find them when I got home so… wait, what?” I hear the sound of keys hitting each other as Sun pulls them from his bag and hands them to me. “This place is weird.”

Taking the set of keys into my hands, I pick one at random and try it on the door to hear the click of the lock unlocking. _‘I can’t believe that worked.’_ “There’s something that I want to check out back in the holding cells.” I call back to Sun as I push the door open and enter.

* * *

Hearing the pained wailing noise again sends a chill down my spine as I lean up against a corner and peak around to see if any of those “Knights” where about. “Who could be making those sounds?” I say to myself as I step out around the corner and head in the direction of the noise.

As we moved through this “dungeon,” the pained noises kept getting louder and louder. “I think it’s through this door Sun.” I turn to look at him as I push open the door.

“Taurus’s… Training Hall… of Love? What kinda bullshit is this?” I hear Sun say as I turn to see the banner saying just that.

“Judging by those noises, I highly doubt that there is any real “love” involved.” I say as I go and start to open the door under the banner. Looking back into the small room, I notice that Sun is nowhere to be seen. “God dammit Sun!” Leaving the door open, I run down the stairs and further into the “Training Hall”.

Making it around the corner at the bottom the stairs, I see Sun pressed up against a set of bars looking into the cell. “You move fast for a monkey Sun.”

“…” My comment goes unnoticed as Sun continues to look on into the cell.

“What’s got you so distracted?” I trail off as I walk up next to him and see what has him speechless.

It was like watching a bad slasher film, similar looking knights from before where holding whips, whilst (what looked like) Shujin students where tied to a volleyball net and where continually getting whipped by the knights. There where pools of blood at the feet of the students and more blood covering the knights and the walls.

Moving to the next larger cell, to find more students, but this time they were running for their lives as the track like treadmill moving at a stupidly fast speed, with a very large spiked roller at one end with what looked like more blood and the remains or two of Shujin’s P.E. uniform attached to the ends of the spikes. Looking to the other side of the treadmill to see a large cast iron looking cauldron hanging there with some form of liquid dripping from it and onto the ground beneath it and a cry for water from the students.

Moving over to the last large cell, only to find something less horrifying, but just as brutal. Hanging there by his feet, was another student that was being relentlessly beaten black and blue by volleyballs out of a hand shaped cannon, each one hitting him right at his head every time with pinpoint accuracy.

“What the fuck is goin’ on here?” I hear Sun say as he grips the cell bars tight enough for his knuckles to turn white.

“I… I don’t know Sun.”  I say as I turn away from the cells and notice more, smaller jail cells lining more walls of this crazy place. _‘How big is this bloody castle?’_

“Hey! I think I recognize some of these guys.” Sun all but nearly shouts in anger. “There from the volleyball team.” I hear some rustling sounds coming from behind me. “Hold on. Let me take a pic. I heard of Taurus’s usin’ physical punishment. They’re just rumours, but… Huh? It’s not workin’?”

“Hey Frizzy hair! Quieten down. The Shadows have probably been alerted to our location.” I hear a boyish voice come from one of the many cells here.

I turn around to see Sun looking at me. “Wow, when did your voice change?” He asks

“What are you talking about Sun? That wasn’t me just now.” I reply.

“Finally! I’ve manage to get your attention.” The boyish voice speaks again.

I look around to see what looked like a white paw waving and the side of an almost black bulbous head sticking out though the bars of one of the cells.

“What the…?” I walk off towards the creature in the cell and ignoring Sun’s questions.

When I get to the bars in question, I look down at the creature standing there. It was the large black dog like ears that I notice fist, sitting there on top of its large head. Then it was the fact that its body was way out of proportion to its head, it stood about shin height, and the other most noticeable thing was the red bandana that had a bone symbol on it that was tied around its neck.

 “So you two where the ones that caused the commotion the other day?” The creature asks, blinking its dark grey eyes at me and before I could reply, I hear Sun stop next to me.

“What is that thing?” Sun shouts and a groan leaves the creature.

“Geez, you’re an idiot. The shadows probably know where you two are now.” The creature speaks in an annoyed tone.

“Hey, I’m not an idiot you monster dog!” Sun shouts as he places a foot forward towards the cell.

Before the creature can open its mouth again, I step in between them both and raise my hands at the both. “Enough!” I say with a raised voice and then I turn to look at the dog? “If what you said is true, then we should get out of here before we get caught right?”

I twinkle comes to the creatures eyes as it nods. “It doesn’t look like he could protect himself, but you might be able to.”

I hear Sun grumble something to himself before I speak again. “I have this dagger and a persona, but if there’s a lot of these “Shadows”, then I don’t think I could last that long.”

“I knew you had something in you.” The creature says. “Hey, if you let me out, I’ll be able to show you the quickest way out of here.”

“Wait! How do you know the quickest way out of here? You’re in a cell.” Sun speaks up from behind me.

“How do you think I got here in the first you idiot.” The creature shouts with anger at Sun.

Looking between the two of them, I think. _‘We are going to die here if we don’t move soon.’_ “Fine!” I say in a raised voice which gets them both looking at me. “We’ll let you out, as long as you don’t try and kill us, will be fine.” I reach into the left pocket of my coat and pull out the set of keys from earlier and open the cell door.

As soon as the door is open the creature stretches and then walks up to me and start to rubs up against my leg. _‘What the fuck…’_ I look back to Sun to see him with an open mouth and wide eyes. I mouth ‘Help’ but he just stands there in shock.

I cough to get the creatures attention and I watch as it jumps back. “Any… anyway, I think it’s best if we get going. Just stay behind me and follow my lead.” It says as it makes it way away from how me and Sun came.

* * *

We ended up in a “Safe Room” according to the creature as the way the creature was talking us had a lot of shadows. The three of us where standing around near a table, with the dog-creature standing on the table,  as me and Sun were listening to the dog-like creature as it was telling us how these Safe Rooms and Palaces worked.

“So you’re saying that there are more of these Rooms in this Palace?” I ask and I get a nod from the dog in return.

“Are you sure that we’re really safe in here?” Sun asks with a slightly fearfully tone.

“YES!” The dog exclaims in an annoyed tone. “How many times do I have to say that WE. ARE. SAFE in here!”

“I believe him” I exclaim as I pat the dog on its head and get my hand swatted away by the dog. “So… how come you know so much about all this?” I ask as I pull on my red gloves a bit.

“I’ve been searching for something. I just don’t know what it is.” The dog says as it tries to rub the back of its head.

“So you have amnesia then.” I say as I get a hand on its head and start to scratch behind its ear. “How can someone as adorable as you suffer with amnesia.” I say in a cuties voice as the dog falls back onto the table as I continue to scratch behind its ear.

“You’re a strange person you know that, right?” I hear Sun speak up form next to me.

“I know.” I respond as I stop scratching him, pick him up and place him back on his little white paws.

I watched as the dog slowly come back to his senses, he swayed left to right briefly before he shook his head several times before he spoke again. “Argh… I hate you so much right now Long Hair!”

“Long hair?” I murmur to myself before it dawns on my. “Oh right! My name is Ruby Rose.”

Sun must have caught on after I introduced myself. “I’m Sun Wukong.”

The dog just looks at Sun for a few moments just blinking at him, till he finally spoke. “Hmm… Interesting name you’ve got.”

I raised an eyebrow at that comment but I refrain from asking why. “So what do we call you then?”

“The name is Zwei.” He tells us in a proud way. “And like you Ruby, I too have a Persona.”

‘ **Oooh! Another persona, I wanna see it… I wanna taste it!** ’ My eyes go wide before I close them as I feel a hand run up and down my spine as I hear the voice that I’d hope to never hear again against my ear. _‘What are you and what do you want with me?’_

‘ **I’m you silly, your other self, the one that wants power… and I want your power!** ’ The girlier voice speaks in a demanding tone and the hand comes to rest on my ass. ‘ **But I want your power to grow first before I take it from your cute body.** ’

As the voice disappears, I call for Arsene. _‘Arsene? What was that?’ **“I sense great power from her Trickster; a great battle will likely ensue in the near future.”** ‘Thanks… just try and keep an eye on her ’_

As I open my eyes and I’m greeted with Zwei and Sun looking at with slight concern in their eyes me as they are standing next to door.

“Is everything okay Ruby?” I hear Sun say as I shake my head slightly.

“Yeah… yeah, I’m fine Sun.” I say with little energy. _‘There’s already too much going on here for me to tell them about that creepy voice.’_ “Let’s get going then.” I say with more energy as I walk past them and open the door.

* * *

“We came this you stupid mutt!” I hear Sun say with anger in his voice to Zwei as I open the door that leads to the foyer of this castle.

“How should I know where’ve been.” Zwei retorts and before either of them could go at it again, I interrupt them.

“The coast looks clear guys.” I say as I push the only door that I know that leads to the dungeon with Sun and Zwei in tow. “So you’re saying that we need to cross here Zwei?”

“Yep.” I hear Zwei say as he bounds ahead off me. “This is the way I use to come before I got caught.”

As we were crossing the foyer, I couldn’t help but think. _‘This has all been too easy; our luck has to be running out.’_ My chain of thought was interrupted as black and red piles of bile rise from ground around us as three Knights spawn out in front of us, from behind the Golden Knight in front of us, Shadow Taurus appears with scowl on in his face. “You knaves again? To think you’d make the same mistake again. You’re hopeless!”

“The school ain’t your castle! I know what doing here and you’re goin’ down” I hear Sun say with anger as he takes a step forwards.

A smirk appears on Shadow Taurus’s face as he speaks. “It’s seems it’s true when they ‘barking dog seldom bite.’ Oh how your mother must be proud of you!”

“You leave her out of this. It was your fault to begin with you asshole!” Sun retorts as he steps closer to him.

Those gold eyes of his look directly at me as he ignores Sun comment. “You’ve come along with this fool and are now going to end up dead. How unlucky for you.”  He turns and walks over to the Golden Knight. “Go. Kill them all. Don’t sully my castle with garbage.”

The two other Knights move forwards and bust back into the black and red bile from before and two black goat-like-horses appear. Without thinking, I move in front Sun to find that Zwei standing next to me. “Sun, stay back!” Me and Zwei say in unison.

The goat-horse in front of me rears up and begins to speak in a raspy voice as it lands its front hoofs back on the ground. “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you ‘cause King Taurus told us! I’ll kill ‘cuase that’s what he wants!”

I watch as Zwei pulls a curved sword out of nowhere and lunches himself at the goat creature but before Zwei could make contact with the best, it rams Zwei out of the air and I watch him fly by me and into a shield knight and then pined to the floor. _’When did they get here?’_

If I weren’t so distracted, I would of hear Sun shout “Ruby! Watch out!” I turn in time to see the horns of the goat creature hit me. I feel the sensation of flying briefly before I feel the feeling of metal against me again before the same fate that happens to Zwei, happens to me.

With a metal boot pressed against my back, I try and look up as much as I can to see Shadow Taurus standing above Zwei with a foot on his small back and Sun kneeling in front of us, uninjured. _‘I’m glad you’ve ok my friend.’_ Its then that Shadow Taurus begins to speak.  

“I bet you simple came here on a whim and ended up like this. Isn’t that right?” He asks in a cocky tone. I watch as Sun mouth something and shake his head slightly.

“What a worthless piece of shit, getting emotional so quickly… How dare you raise your at me! Though it only temporary, have you forgotten my kindness in supervising track practice?” Anger ever laced within speech.

I see Sun fall forwards onto his arms. “That wasn’t no practice… It was physical abuse! You just didn’t like out team!” Anger and sadness is present as Sun spoke.

“It was nothing but an eyesore! The only one who needs to achieve results is ME!” He jabs his thumb at himself. “That coach who got fired was hopeless too… had he not opposed me with a sound argument, I would’ve settled it with only breaking his star’s leg.” I’m sure there was a cocky grin on his face.

“What?” Sun say as he lifts his head slightly.

“Do you need me to deal with your other leg too? The school will call it self-defence again anyway!” Shadow Taurus says.

“Dammit… Am I gonna lose again?” Sun curls up slightly as he speaks “Not only can I not run anymore… the track team is gone too ‘cause of this asshole!” Sadness present as Sun talks.

“So that’s why.” I look over to Zwei after he said that and I try to push up only to be forced back down.

“Once these two are dealt with, you’re next.” The laugh that follows sends a chill down my spine.

“You can’t let this shit win Sun, fight for what is yours!” I say with a pained groan. _‘I’m gonna be sore in the morning.’_

“You’re right.” Sun looks up slightly. “Everything that was important to me was taken by him… I’ll never get ‘em back!”

“Just stay there and watch as these hopeless scum die for nothing because they sided with trash like you.” The snarl the bull faunus lets out makes me feels uncomfortable.

There’s silence as we watch Sun stand up. “I’ve had enough of your bullshit Taurus, all you think about is using people… You’re the real scumbag!” The pressure on my back lightens up slightly and as Sun moves towards us, no one moves. “I’m going to wipe that fucking stupid smile off of your face!” A smile forms on my face as I notice that Sun had yellow eyes instead of blue.

As a black ghostly figure appears behind Sun, the screams of agony leave his lips as he clutches the side of head and falls to his knees. As he starts to roll around on the ground, I can’t help but be thankful that I was held up during my awakening.

When the screaming stops, his head snaps up and we are greeted with yellow eyes and a jawless mask of a skull and as he stands, just like I did, he reaches up and grabs the edges of his mask and starts to pull. The screaming starts again as blood pours from around the edges till he pulls the skull mask off and blue flames coat Sun and the black ghostly figure.

When a bolt of lightning strikes Sun’s position, the blue flames burst with enough power that pushes the Knight off of me. I feel Zwei place a paw on me and say “Dia!” The feeling of healing magic is one I don’t think I will get used to and as I stand, I say thanks to Zwei and look at Sun.

To say that Sun looked different would be an understatement considering that he was no longer wearing his school uniform but was instead wearing an open white leather jacket showing off his glorious washboard abs, a pair of black pants with knee pads, a set of red wrist bracers over a pair of yellow fingerless gloves and a pair of combat boots.

Looking behind him at his Persona and seeing the skull and crossbones adorned on a tricorne that sat on the head of a pirate, two pistols looking swords sat strapped just under his head and had a barrel of a cannon attached to his right hand with a very nice looking red cape billowing out behind him, all the while standing on top of a pirate ship.

As Sun looks down at his new clothes, he speaks something other than screaming. “Right on… Wassup Persona…” He turns to look at the Persona behind him. “This fucking rocks! Now that I got this power, it’s time for some payback!”

As me and Zwei walk up to Sun as he turns around and points a finger at the Golden Knight as it turns into the black/red bile and into a Red Knight riding a horse Sun speaks up. “Blast them away Captain Kidd!” A bolt of lightning shoots out from Captain Kidd’s cannon arm and towards the Knight, shocking it to the spot. “If Taurus’s cognition ain’t changin’, then I’ll act like the troublemaker I am!”

As Sun raise his hand again to call forth Captain Kidd, Zwei leaps up onto it and into the air calling forth his Persona Zorro. Standing next to the Captain, is a large chested man dressed in black leather with a large sliver ‘Z’ around its waist and with a swish of his rapier a tornado hits just in front of the Knight and horse and then moves though the two of them. With another call from Sun, lightning strikes them again with enough power to kill them both.

As the horse and Knight melt into the black and red bile, the Knight speaks. “I am… a loyal subject to the… the glorious King Taurus. So why… why have I lost?”

“It just proves that Taurus ain’t anything special.” Sun says as his skull mask forms back on his face.

When the dust settles and all that remains is the black and red bile, I look over at Sun to see him kneeling. “So… How ‘bout that?” A pained and tired groan leaves him.

“So you had the potential too…”  Zwei says as he sits down next to Sun.

“It seems that you still don’t understand that this is MY castle!” The Bull speaks and with a click of his fingers from below his red heart printed cape and form behind one of the pillars near him, walks Belladonna-san, with a far off look on her face and wearing a bright purple bikini with a pair of lighter purple heels on. _‘Dam, she’s hot.’_ When she gets to Shadow Taurus, she leans up against him with an arm around his neck and the other on his chest.

“What the… Belladonna!? Get away from her you asshole!” Sun shouts as I give him a hand up and put one of his arms round my neck for support.

Stars appear in Zwei’s eyes as he speaks. “Oh! What a meow-velous and bear-utiful girl!”

“Wait! Something not right here.” I say as I take stock in this situation. _‘This has to be his shadow of her. I get a funny feeling that she would be very vocal about seeing us.’_

Zwei shakes his head and the stars disappear. “You’re very astute for someone who knows very little about places.”

We watch as Shadow Taurus moves slight and cups Belladonnas’ face and looks at us. “You still don’t understand. This is MY castle, a place in which I can do whatever I want. Everyone wishes to be loved by me.”  He spoke in a sleazy and cocky tone again and I felt like I was going to be sick.

I feel Sun go slightly limp in my arms and I look towards Zwei. “I think it’s best if we scram, like now!” I say in a rushed tone as I go to pick Sun up in a bridle carry. _‘I thought you were going to be heavier.’_ Zwei nods and runs off towards the door that we were heading too and with Sun in my arms, I run after Zwei.

* * *

After losing sight of Shadow Taurus, we arrived in to a small empty mess hall and with plenty of spare seats; I put Sun down on one of the seats. “You ok Sun?”

Weary blue eyes look on to me. “Yeah… yeah, thanks again Ruby.” I smile at his response.

“We’re here now Zwei, so now wh…” I turn around to our new companion to find him nowhere. “Where the hell did he go?”

“I’m up here.” I turn to see Zwei standing on top of the bookcases near a large air vent. “I’m surprised that never found this. Come on this way.” He says and then disappeared through the vent.

“Well… it looks like he helped us after all.” I turn to Sun. “You think you can get up there?” I say with concern.

A smile forms on Suns’ face as he stands. “It’s what I do best.” He says as he stagers over to the bookcase and for someone who had just gone through, climbs up to the vent with ease. After climbing up and going through the vent after them, I was greeted by the sight of the weird red and black sky. 

Seeing Sun and Zwei not to far away, I jog up to them and I catch the end of Suns’ statement. “… changin’ into this!”

“Honesty, it looks great on you and I love your abs by the way.” I say in a flirtatious tone.

Sun looks at me with wide eyes and then rubs the back of his neck. “Uhh… Should I be happy about that?” I shrug and wink at him. “Then again, it ain’t as bad as yours.”

“I just wis…” Before I could finish what I was saying, we got interrupted by the sound of Knights entering the room we just left.

“Did you find them?” “No. Search that way!” We wait a couple of minutes before we move away to continue talking.

We stop near the drawbridge when Sun speaks up. “So what’s goin’ on? I’m completely lost.”

“I told you before, when a Persona –user opposes a Palace’s ruler and becomes a threat to them, this happens. It’s to prevent you from being affected by distortions as well.” Zwei says like it was the most common knowledge ever.

“I take it all of that is meant to be common knowledge?” I ask in a sarcastic tone and Zwei nods.

“Is this… a skull?” Sun asks as he feels his new mask with his hands.

“Your appearance reflects your inner self. It’s the rebel that slumbers within… not that you’ll get it.” Zwei says as he jumps onto a small outcropping of the wall.

I watch as Sun scratches the back of his head. “Nope.”

“Then stop asking questions and accept what you see for what it is.” Zweis’ tiny paws wave about anger.

“Fuck, we’re in deep shit!” Sun goes wide eyed. “We might’ve gotten away here, but we’re still screwed with Taurus at the real school.”

“For an idiot, you’re quite sharp.” Zwei speaks up from his outcropping. “But relax. The Taurus in reality can’t possibly know about what happens here. A Shadow is the true self that is suppressed, a side of one’s personality they don’t want to see.” _‘So she could be a side of me that I don’t want to see.’_

“So we’re ok then?” Sun asks starching the side of his and I feel like facepalming.

“Well he didn’t react when we saw him yesterday, so we have to be good.” I think aloud with a finger to my chin. _‘I could do with some food soon… I wonder if Sun knows anywhere good and cheap.’_

“Right, I got you ou…” I cut Zwei off as I feel my stomach rumble. “You wouldn’t know any good places to eat Sun?”

A fire lights itself behind Suns’ eyes as a smirk appears on his face. “Oh yeah, I know a great ramen place near the school and now that you mentioned it, I’m starving. Let’s go.” I nod and follow him across the drawbridge and back to the real world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know this chapter is kinda late, but I found that I was not to happy with a couple of scene and frankly i'm still not that happy them, but if I kept working on them, then this chapter would probably never get finished, try and guess them if you want.
> 
> Have a beary good day friends.


	11. Memory is the key

Date: 4/12

Stand back in the alleyway in front school again was strangely nice, especially after being in that castle for god-knows how long. I pull my phone out to check the time and my eyes go wide when I finally see the time.  _‘What!! That can’t be right, we’ve had to been gone longer than an hour.’_  I look over at Sun to see him leaning against the wall of this alleyway.

“Well… that was fun, wasn’t it?” I ask as I put my hands on my hips and cocking them slightly.

“Fun! Yeah, almost dying is tons of fun.” He sides down the wall and sits on floor looking up at me and speaks with a tired tone. “You’re a strange girl you know that right?”

With my right hand, I rub the back of neck. “Yeah… I got that a lot back home.”

There was a pause between us as I start to reminisce about Inaba.  _‘I miss home.’_ A sad look must have been present on my face as Sun speaks up. “Sorry about that Ruby,” He stands up, moves towards me and places a hand on my left shoulder with a smile on his face. “I’m going to help forget about your home town while you’re here.”

I move my right hand and place it on top of Suns’ and smile back at him. “Thank you Sun; you truly are a great friend.”  _‘He’s got surprisingly soft hands.’_

“Well… we should be able to get those guys we saw in there to fess up to the physical abuse Taurus has been doing, then he’ll be done.” A fire behind his eyes returns as we remove our hands.

“You sure that that’s going to work Sun?” He raises an eyebrow at my question. “Well, considering that me and you have some form of rep at school, so no-one will talk us because of that.” I turn around and walk towards the entrance of the alleyway.

“Well… true, but that’s how we get them.” I hear Sun say as I stop at the entrance.

“So you want us to try to scare them into talking to us?” I ask and an “Mmhm” is what I as a response as from him. “Who knows, it could work.”

Standing there at the entrance of the alleyway, I look up at the school with amazement that a place like Taurus’ could be real. As silences fall between us, I watch as a few students come walking out of the building and down the steps  _‘The school clubs must have finished then.’_ It’s then that I hear my stomach rumble again.

I clutch at my stomach slightly and look at Sun. “So, ramen?”

A devilish grin forms on his face when he looks at me. “Follow me bro.” He walks off in the direction of the station before I could ask anything else.

I stand there and watch Sun leave, I speak aloud to myself. “Bro huh, never thought I’ll be called that anytime soon.” Before I could start to catch up to Sun, a familiar voice greets me.

“Oh! Rose-san, I thought you left already?” I turn around to find Weiss looking up at me slightly.  _‘God bless short girls.’_ Seeing a raised eyebrow from her, I realize that I never answered her.

“Oh, well, erm…. well I thought that I left some think at school.” I rub the back of my neck as speak. “Turns out, I had it the whole time.” I finish with a slight chuckle and she looks at me as though I grew a second head. “Anyway, what are you still doing here Senpai? School finished an hour ago.”

“Oh, well as Student Council President, there are responsibilities that I complete, even if school has finished.” She speaks with a sense pride and her head held high.

“But I’m glad I found you before tomorrow. After speaking with Ms. Toyoguchi, She thought it was best that I tutor you so that you don’t repeat the same thing as yesterday.” She looks at me with a small smile and I can’t help but smile back.

“Why do you tutor me Senpai?” I ask looking her in the eyes and seeing her shrink in on herself slightly.

“Li… like I said, after speaking with…” She began in a weak tone before I cut her off.

“Because you were asked to by my homeroom teacher, who, by the way hates me already. So please tell why she would want you to tutor me?” I ask in an angry tone.

I watch as Weiss finds her footing before answering me. “It was my suggestion actually.” She plays with one of her buttons on her halter vest. “Due to your transfer, you would have have missed several months of learning, hence the offer to tutor you.” She steps closer to me and I could feel my heart start to beat faster.

“I’ve seen your past test scores Ruby, you were among the top in Yasogami High.” I watch her place her left hand on my chest, right above my heart and I swear that it felt like I was about to have a heart attack. “You’ve a good person Ruby; I just want to help you get back there.”

I reach up and place a hand on top of hers, noticing straight away how soft her hand was and look at her beautiful baby blue eyes. “So… when do you… “Before I could speak any more I hear Sun shout as he comes back towards me. “Yo Ruby, what are you doing?”

We remove our hands and she steps back a bit. She looks up at me slight disgust and I respond with a toothy smile as I move to the right and turn to face Sun to see a smile that I’ve never seen on him before.  _‘Oh fuck me.’_ I raise my left hand and wave it slightly in hopes that he doesn’t do anything embarrassing for me.

“Oh, I see you’re chatting up the Ice Queen again.” My hand gesture must have gone over his head as he speaks and the groan from Weiss indicates that she wasn’t too pleased either.

“So what do you want with her Prez? She’s done nothing.” I watch as in a matter of seconds, Suns’ whole demeanour changes.

I look back at Weiss to see a stern blue eyes looking back at Sun and I start to fear for his life. “ _SHE_ hasn’t done anything to my knowledge. Why? Has she harmed a student or a teacher?” She spoke in an authoritative tone that is both scary and oddly arousing.

I look back at Sun as he takes a step back from us. “N-no not at all. Right?” They both look at me, Sun with a pleading look on his face, Weiss with an inquisitive look and whilst look at her, I nod my head several times in response to question.

I hear a sigh from Sun before he speaks again. “So… yeah,” He rubs the back of his neck and turns to me. “Do you want to get going?”

I nod at Sun and when at idea forms in my head, I look at Weiss. “Do you want come with us Weiss? Sun is taking me too a ramen place.”

A look of surprisement and then hurt crosses her face before she shakes her head side to side. “Oh, no thank you. I need to head home and start cooking dinner for Sis.” She lets a small smile forms as she bows slightly. “But thank you for the offer.”

I bow deeply in return and straighten before I speak. “Well, okay then Senpai; give your sister my regards.” I smile at her before I turn to Sun. “Shall we go?” With a nod from him, I follow him to the station.

* * *

I was on my way home after a “study” session with my girlfriend Pyrrhas’ house when I started to hear some commotion just a ways away. It was quite late in the day when I decided to home so there weren’t anyone around when I started to hear the commotion. But after everything Inaba went through, it was not unheard of to hear these types of things, but they mainly happen during the day so to hear raised voices at night always piqued my interests.

The one great thing about living in Inaba was that at night, you could walk down some roads and not worry about a thing but as I made towards the end of the street that I was on, the voices grew louder to the point that I could pick out two female voices, one of distress, the other with a slight slur. When I made it to the T-junction, I could see the headlights up against the buildings to my right and two figures standing in the light.

Looking back on it now, if I didn’t walk down that street and took my normal way home, then I wouldn’t be here talking to you, but I couldn’t let someone (even a drunk woman) manhandle someone else. As I made my down the street towards the two, I could hear the cry for ‘Help!’ form one and the slurred shouts to ‘Shut up!’ and ‘Get in the car!’ from the other

With only several houses that separating me and them, I could at least see who it was. I recognize the woman who was shouting for help as I’ve seen her behind the counter at the bookstore in the shopping district in Inaba. Her blue eyes always looked so bright with her dark hair framing her face nicely. She was shy whenever I spoke to her, but having a scar on my face and having intense looking sliver eyes does have that effect on people.

 The other woman I had never seen before, especially in Inaba before. The first thing that I notice was that her skin was deathly pale; she looked more like a vampire than anything else, the fact that she was wearing a floor length dress and had white hair that was tied into a high bun didn’t help either. It was only when I got closer and the sounds of sirens in the background, that the bookstore assistant noticed me and shouted for help, that I was able to get a good look at the drunken woman’s face. The only clear feature that I could get, apart from her pale skin, was that her eyes seemed to glow slightly red. It was uncomfortable to look her in the eyes for long periods of time and when she spoke, you could smell the alcohol.

“What’re you looking at? Get outta my face!” The drunken woman yells at me with slur. “This ain’t a show. Get lost kid.”

She turned away to talk to the assistant. “See? This is all your fault you stupid bitch!”

I watch as the drunken woman raises her to attack the assistant, who was now cowering in fear and without realizing it, I step forward and put a hand on the pale womans’ shoulder and pull her away. What I didn’t count on was that the drunken woman would lose her balance and fall to the ground.

Standing there looking at the woman on the ground, not moving at all, I start think that I might have just kill her, but when she moves to get up and turn around to face me and the shop assistant, we see a cut on the centre on her head, with blood seeping out and running down her face.

The deathly woman reaches up with a hand and places it on the cut, soaking her hand with her own blood before she speaks. “Dam brat! I’ll sue!”

With the police sirens not too far way, the woman stands and pulls a small handkerchief out of an invisible pocket and dabs at the blood and the cut on her head before she pushes past me and up to the assistant. “When they show up, you are going to stay quiet and be a good little girl.” I watch as the bookkeeper recoils away from the deathly looking woman.

Before I could intervene again, I see a police car round the corner and I let a heavy sigh. But when the officers got out of their car and walk by me and up to her that I realized that I’m about to be up shit creek without a paddle very soon.

The next thing I know was that I was being arrested and then it went downhill from there, from losing my friends and girlfriend, from being expelled from Yasogami High, having to move out here for this probation, I got alienate for only trying to help. I think the only people who didn’t abandoned me where Rises’ Grandmother, her, her friends and my mother.

* * *

“The hell man! How much shittier can that asshole get!?” Sun almost yells before he crams the rest of his ramen into his mouth.

“Calm down will ya!” I briefly look around to see several people look over towards us and I instinctively lower my head back towards my bowl and eat some noodles.

“Sorry. But just hearin’ your story makes me angry!” I hear the clink of Suns’ bowl hitting the counter. “So… you’re livin’ here for a year right?” I nod as eat some more noodles. “Then your place must be sweet then, especially since you’re here by yourself.”

I choke on a couple of noodles a little and look at Sun with a slightly red face and a small smile. “Look Sun…, you’re nice and all, but I tend to swing for your team more often than not, if you catch my drift.”

It was Suns’ turn to turn red in the face and stutter. “Th-that’s n-not… that’s not what I was getting at and you know it!”

I let out a chuckle and eat some more of my ramen before I reply. “I do know it, but~ it’s nice knowing that I can make a cute guy fluster.” I lift the bowl to my lips and drink some of the broth and immediately tasting a lot of ginger.  _‘Dam you Sun’_

“But no, it’s not. I’m living in an attic of a coffee shop in Yongen-Jaya, whose owner may or may not hate me, so…” I give a light shrug and eat some more of my ramen.

“HA! Were more alike than I originally thought.” I feel Sun’s hand on my right shoulder as I rest my chopsticks in my bowl and turn to face Sun with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s not as bad as you’ve got it; I’m living with my mom and not in some old guy’s attic in a coffee shop.” He removes his hand and rubs the back of his neck. “I guess it’s how we’re treated like a pain in the ass by the people, like we don’t belong.”

I grab my chopsticks and continue eating as silences falls over us. As a rustling sound reaches my ears, Sun speak up. “Its rush hour on the subways, I suggest you kill some time before headin’ home.”

“So what do you want me do then? I don’t know what’s around here.” I ask as I start to twirl one of the sticks between my right fingers and rest my chin in the left hand.

“Well you’re in luck, there’s an arcade nearby that I’ve wanted to go to and I’ve heard that they just got Gun About.” He says as he types something on his phone and then put it away.

“So… you want me to go with you then?” I ask as I watch him reach over towards the container that held the ginger, opening it and then looking over at me.

“Well it is two players and I’ll pay… come on man eat up, you won’t find ginger like this anywhere else.” With his free hand, he reaches for ginger and I smack it away with the chopstick that I was twirling.

“Aah! What gives?” He rubs his hand like it hurt, even though I didn’t hit him that hard.

“I think I’ve had enough ginger for one day. But yeah, I’ll go with you.” I pick the other chopstick up and continue to eat.

As a silences falls over us again, I let the noise of place fall over me, the sounds of chopsticks on porcelain, of food being cooked, of conversations of art and the economy. It was nice, not having to worry about anything and as much as I come to respect Sun in the short amount of time I’ve known him. He does have a way of ruining things.

“I’ve gotta thank you… for helpin’ me early.” I look over at Sun to see the biggest smile I’ve seen on his face. “Anyways, I got your back like you got mine from tomorrow onwards. As long as we do something about Taurus, then I’m sure we’ll both feel better about bein’ at school.”

With his enthusiasm being so infectious as I smile back and nod. “I hope your right Sun but you can count on me.”

Suns’ expression changes to one of realization. “Oh yeah!”  He pulls his phone out from a pocket and holds it up in front of himself. “Tell me your number. Chat ID too.”

With a sigh, I pull my phone out from my jacket. “Just as long as you don’t send any dick pics, then I’ll be fine.” With our numbers and chat id exchange, Suns’ expression turns to one of determination as he clutches his phone tightly.

“Just you wait Taurus… Let’s hit up those guys that were kept as slaves tomorrow, yeah?” I nod in response before he continues. “Good, the volleyball rally is tomorrow. Shit’s recommended by Taurus, but thanks to that, we got no classes in the afternoon and we can walk around unnoticed.”

“Well, we can go that unnoticed can we?” I ask and a groan leaves Sun.

“You know what I mean Ruby, just finish up so we can go.” Annoyance clearly in his tone as I finish eating my ramen.

* * *

It was getting dark by the time I made it back to Leblanc and as I open the door, I was greeted by the sight of an empty café, the smell of coffee and curry and James sitting on one of the stools reading a newspaper. He looks up at me when I enter.

“So you actually went to school today then?” The same disgruntled tone from the other night returns.

“Of course I did.” I say with a slight annoyed tone.

“I guess you learned your lesson after what happened yesterday then. As long as you’re not getting into trouble and bring it here, it’s fine by me. I don’t know what you’ve been up to, but trust me, you’ll be gone if you start causing problems.” He pauses for moment before he continues. “In case you forgot, your life is not a free one right now.”

“I understand Sir.” I say in what I thought was a regretful tone as I lower my head slightly.

Feeling my phone vibrate, I pull it out and see that Sun had message me.

  **Monkey King:**   _Hey, I decided to go ahead and message you._

_Can you see this?_

_Nope._ : **Red Rose**

**Monkey King:** _You’ve an ass, you know!_

_I’m gonna be counting on you tomorrow, OK?_

_You got it; it’ll be nice not having to look over my shoulder._ **:Red Rose**

**Monkey King:** _I know what you mean bro._

_Let’s save those guys who’ve been getting abused. You and me._

_Well, see ya tomorrow!_

_Monkey King Offline…_

_See you tomorrow._ **:Red Rose**

_Message unsent. Please try again later._

“Sheesh, are you even listening to me?” I hear James say in an angrier tone than I heard before.

I put my phone away and look at James. “Sorry about that James, my new friend wanted to know if I got home safe.”

I watch James slump slightly and sigh. “Just stay away from bad influences, Ok?”

I smile and nod and start to walk past him.  _‘He’s not going to be happy when he finds out.’_ I manage to reach the end of the bar before I hear the sound of the newspaper being folded and placed on the counter.

“I’m gonna head home for the night. I’ll lock the store up. Don’t go wandering out.” I hear James say in a relieving tone.

I stop and turn my head slightly and say. “Alright, good night James, sleep well.” Before I continue towards the stairs and my room.

When I got to the top of the stairs, I drop my bag on the table and stretch my back and arms out. Hearing them crack, I let out a sigh of relief. “How the hell is he that good at that game? First time my ass.” I say to myself as I take my jacket off, take my phone out and put the jacket next to my bag.

When I hear the door being locked, the feeling of being alone in this city creeps up on me. “I wish I could have a hug from mom, but then again, she did say that they’ll try and visit me. I just hope mom brings me some of her cookies.”

Moving over to my bed and sitting down, I look around the room. “If I’m going to living here for the next year, I’m going to have to get a wardrobe and some room dividers; I’ll ask James tomorrow to see if I can get some of them.”

Looking at my phone, I realize that I was out a lot longer then I wanted to and with what I had promised Sun, I decide to get ready for bed. Leaving my phone on the bed, it doesn’t take long to remove my clothes and find my rose printed pajamas trousers and black tank top in among my bed sheets.

Finding my phone on the floor, I found that Sun had message me.

**Monkey King:** _That app on your phone had a red eyeball icon right?_

_Yes. Why do you ask?_ **:Red Rose**

**Monkey King:** _I found it on my phone._

_I don’t even remember installing it!_

_You wouldn’t have. It installs itself._ **:Red Rose**

_The one who created the app Ozpin, told me that he can grant the app to other people._

_I don’t fully understand it myself tbh._

**Monkey King:** _Oh. Wait…_

_Who the fuck is Ozpin?_

_I’ll tell you more about “that place” another time Sun._   **:Red Rose**

_Right now, I’m tired, especially after you beat me at Gun About._

_Good night Sun._

I close the chat app down and take my glasses off and put both of them on the window sill and settle down for the night.

* * *

It was the cold and damp feeling of Velvet Room that wakes me and as I resist the urge to get up, until I felt the familiar metal of Melanies’ baton against my head that I decide to get up and walk over to the bars.

It was quiet till Ozpin spoke. “Welcome to the Velvet Room. I thought about resuming our previous conversation tonight.  That is why I have summoned you.”

“Then please continue Master.” I say in more of a sarcastic tone. I was half expecting Melanie to hit me but it never came as Ozpin just continued.

“What are your thoughts? Are you becoming accustomed to this place?” He gestures the prison cells that is the Velvet Room.

“Not the first cell I’ve been in, bit cold though” I say as I grasp the bars to my cell.

“Ah, glad to hear it. It seems you have nerves of steel.” His voice echoes around the room slightly. “Your rehabilitation determines if ruin can be stopped. Yet, such a feat cannot be done by you alone. But today, you entered a partnership with someone who awoke to the same power, haven’t you?” A chill runs through me when stops talking.

_‘The only over person I know with a persona is Sun.’_ “You must mean Sun?” I ask and all I get is a nod for Ozpin.

“Involving yourself with others is an important foundation for your recovery. You’ve done well. That said, I am not advising the formation of superficial relationships. It must not be of frivolity, but a ring of those who would, by morals or by faith, lend you their strength.”

“In other words, they are the bonds with those who have been robbed of their place to belong. The expansion of said ring will, in return, help you mature as well.” A silences fall over the room as I absorb everything that Ozpin just said.

“So you want me to make friends with people who are in a similar position that I’m in?” I ask and again he nod.

“Most of Tokyo is probably in the same boat as me; do you expect me to become friends with everyone?” I ask and all I get is stare from him before speaks again.

“That is up to you Trickster, the choices you make are yours and yours alone.” Ozpin says before he gestures to the Wardens in front of me. “Girls, if you please.”

I look at Miltia as she turns to speak to me. “Personas are the strength of heart. The stronger the bonds that surround you, the more power your Personas will gain.”

“There are countless people in the city who have talents that a weakling like you doesn’t.” I hear Melanie say. “So you better rack that noggin of yours and get them on your side. We’ll change that into power.”

I look back over to Ozpin as he speaks. “Indeed. You should be prepared to use even myself, or your ambitions will not come to fruition.” He lets out a deep chuckle before continuing. “Then we have a deal.”

_‘I get the feeling that Ozpin has a lot riding on me.’_  “You lot are talking like this is a video game, this is my life we are talking about.” I say in an annoyed tone and only getting silences as an answer.

“Well, you will understand it all in due time Trickster. Continue devoting yourself to your rehabilitation.” Ozpin says before he and his desk vanish in a cloud of blue and black smoke.

“Now, this conversation’s over! Got lost, Inmate!” I feel Melanies’ baton against my head before the world turning to back.

* * *

When I open my eye, I was expecting to wake up in the attic of café Leblanc on the wider then wide booth seat that I was calling a bed, but instead, I woke up sitting on a chair the wrong way. I believed it was chair as it was black in every direction I looked. It wasn’t like I had blindfold on, I could see myself, it was the fact that everything was black.

“Where the hell am I?” I wonder aloud and getting no response, I try to get up, only to find that I couldn’t move any part of my body except my head.

“What the fuck is going on?” I shout and try to move again, but to no avail.

I can’t remember how long I there for but It felt like hours, but everything came to a halt when I heard her voice.

**‘Oh! You’re awake!’** She giggles and I feel a hand on my right shoulder.  **‘I must of fallen asleep whilst waiting for to wake up’** She shift to a more stern tone and her grip on my shoulder tightens.

“Aah fuck… What the fuck do you want this time?” I shout and the hand moves from my shoulder to my jaw and she pulls my head to the right, till I’m looking at a pair of golden eyes.

**‘Oh I have plans for you my sweet little gem, like this for instants’**  She leans in close till her eyes are the only thing I see and then moves to my right and brings up a floating pattern of what looked like a clock face.

Looking more closely at it, I could see that there were points on the north, east, south and west; it had twenty-one spaces on it, I could see that three of them had writing in it. Sitting in the center was eye that looked like it was moving.

“So what exactly is that used for?” I ask as I try to pull my head out of her hand.

**‘It’s so I can keep track on how well you’ve doing.’** The design disappears and her hand goes as well till I feel both of her hands on my shoulders.

**‘You have no idea how long this took me do you?’**  I feel her lips against my ear and her hands gripping the shoulder straps of my tank top.

“How would I know, I still don’t really know how you exist.” I say in an inquisitive tone and I feel her hands tighten around the shoulder straps as she sighs.

**‘It hurts that you don’t care or know about me, after all… I am you’** I feel a slight wetness behind my ear and I shiver out of fear or arousal.  **‘Mm… we taste delicious Ruby, but it is a shame that you had to go and hurt my feelings.**

“What are you talking abo…” Before I could finish my sentence, in one swift motion she rips my tank top off, leaving me bear chested. “What the fuck?” I shout as I turn my head slightly, only to end up getting my head push forward, into something black.

**‘God, you whine too much. I was planning on not causing you too much pain, but I think you deserve it now.’** She must have moved away briefly before placing her hand just below my shoulder blades in the center.

It wasn’t too long before her palm of her hand started to warm up till it burned. I tried scream but whatever my face was pressed into seemed to muffle any sound I’d try to make. I passed out shortly after I started smelling my skin burn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live and so does this story, the only reason this chapter took so long was due to work and the fact that it's coming up christmas so... but I've had fun writing this chapter, a lot more than the others oddly.
> 
> What I am interested in is your thoughts on the characters that I've picked to play whom so far and who do you think I've picked to play certain characters.


	12. The rally and some gifted strength

Date: 4/13

A scream tears through me as I sit upright in bed; I grasp at my chest with my left hand and feel the damp cotton of tank top. I let a sigh pass my lips as I bring my right hand down my face. I look towards the window and notice that it’s still dark outside.

“What the fuck was that? It felt to dam real to be a dream or a nightmare.” I whisper to myself as I raise my right hand and touch the spot where I felt her tongue, finding only dry skin, I flop back onto the bed and wincing immediately.

“Aaah, what the…” As I sit back up, I remember what she showed and started to do to me.

“Oh crap!” I throw the covers off of me and rush over to turn the lights on and then to my makeshift wardrobe and pull it off of the shelving unit, opening it without a care of damaging the box.

After finding my mothers’ hand mirror, I fly down the stairs and into the small restroom that the café had and thanking god that there was a decent sized mirror handing above the sink. As I entered the restroom, I place my mirror on the edge of the sink and pull my tank top up and over my head and placing it on the other side of the sink.

Even though I was topless, I was surprised that it was still somewhat warm in the café. I grab my mirror as I turn around and raise it up high enough to see what she did to me.

“OH. MY. FUCKING. GOD!” I shout as I look at the detail that is now lying across my back. There were curved diamonds along most of the lines and around the curved outer edge. Red lines faded to black from the centre with a gold looking iris staring straight ahead. Remembering that three of twenty odd boxes were filled in, it didn’t take me long to find them.

The first one had a zero near the edge and the words “Le Mat” written near the eye. In-between the two, a jester with a bundle tied to a stick and dog looking creature around his heels sat. The second one I found had a capital “V” at the outer edge and “Le Pape” written. The image was of a larger bearded man holding a staff with two pillars on either side of him. The last one had “VII” at the outer edge and “Le Chariot” opposites it. The image was of a man, holding a staff and wearing a crown, with one arm bandage up, whilst standing behind a podium that had to horses in front of it.

“What the hell? Oh she’s gonna get a talking to next time.” Reaching around with my free hand, I touch the edge gingerly, hoping that it wouldn’t hurt. When no pain came, I let out a big sigh and slump forward slightly.

Turning around to face the mirror, I place the mirror back on the side of the sink, turn the cold tap and splash my face several times. “What the hell is going on with my life?” I put my top back on, grab my mirror and head back upstairs.

Leaving my box on the floor, I place the mirror next to my bag and jackets and grab my phone of the window sill for the time. “4am? Great, I might as well get ready.”

* * *

As I was walking towards the school, I felt someone pat my back and Sun pop into my line of sight. “Mornin’, Sleep well?” He says in an all too cheery tone with a devilish smile on his lips.

“Not really, woke up at 4am due to reasons that I won’t discuss here.” I tap my nose in hopes that he gets what I’m talking about.

“Yeah, I get ya bro. You looking forward to being bored?” He asks in a tone that sounds all too familiar.

“Well judging by the way those two there were talking,” I point to a couple of male students that were a few paces ahead of Sun and I. “It sounds like it’s another way for Taurus to stroke his ego.”

A silence falls over us as we make are way to Shujin and I couldn’t help but hear the whispers going around. I take a glance at Sun and see him standing still, fists clenched and an angry look on his face.

“Sun?” I ask in a small tone.

“WILL YOU SHUT UP ABOUT US ALREADY!?” He shouts and I cower slightly before I walk over to him.

“What’s the matter Sun?” I place my right hand on his shoulder.

“It’s just… it’s just that, now that I know what happened, it pisses my off that everyone’s being a total ass about it.” The hatred was clear as he spoke.

“I understand, just don’t listen to them ok and remember, we’re got a mission to complete.” I remove my hand and smile at him.

A fierce look overcomes him as he brings his right hand up in front of his chest and clenches it. “Your right Ruby. Let’s get that bastard!” I smile as I watch him walk off towards the school and up the steps.

When I enter Shujin myself, I was greeted by the sounds of students gossiping about me, Sun, Belladonna-san and Taurus. I manage to ignore them as I head for my classroom. The one good thing about being treated like a criminal, is that everyone was avoiding me, so getting to 2-D was easy. When I walked into the room, I was greeted by Ms. Toyoguchi, who was seated behind one of the desks on the front row.

“Oh! Toyoguchi-sensei,” I bow slightly and straighten. “Good morning, I was expecting an empty room.” I bashfully say as I start to walk to my desk.

At the sound of my voice, she stands; pushing the chair back as some papers falls to the ground and then turns to look at me. “Oh it’s you Rose-chan,” She clasps a hand over her heart. “I thought it was Ms. Branwen for a second.” She moves her hand back and then she goes to pick the papers that fell up.

“What do you want Rose-chan? Todays the Volleyball Rally, so all lessons are cancelled.” Toyoguchi-sensei mumbled something as she grabs the last page up of the floor and places it on the desk.

“Yeah I know about the rally today, most of the school is talking about it.” I say with annoyance. “I came here because I can get some pace before the day begins.”

She looks at me with pity before sitting back down and speaking in a tired tone. “Well… just be quiet ok?”

“Sure.” I say as I pull my phone out of my blazer and start to play a game.

* * *

I was extremely nervous when I was changing into my gym clothes. Granted I had prepared somewhat, my sports bra did cover some of the tattoo, but seeing as I had yet to get my own gym clothes, it meant that I would have to borrow some from the school.

After finding a pair that fit me, it didn’t take to long for Sun to find me and drag me over to a corner of the gymnasium, explaining that we wouldn’t be bothered too much. It didn’t take too long before the gymnasium started to fill up with students and the odd teacher. Most of the students took the folding chairs that where for seating and the rest of them took to sitting against the two empty walls, apart from near us.

It didn’t take too long for Taurus and his cronies show up in high spirits with the school team following behind, with a miserable look on them all. The match started shortly after Taurus gave a small speech. Watching the game was hard to say the least, it was more of a white wash than anything else as Taurus’ team were literally flooring most of the students.

It became boring to watch after Arc-san fell to floor for 6th time and I forgot that I was sitting next Sun till he spoke up. “Still sticks out… She hasn’t changed a bit.” I look at him to see him looking at Belladonna-san, who was sitting on one the folding chairs with her left hand twiddling the ends of her left pigtail and a sad look on her face.

I hear a yawn from Sun as he stretches slightly. “Pretty boring right?” He asks as he places his chin into his right and closes his eye.

“Yeah, you’re right.” I say as I look at Sun, then at Belladonna-san.   _‘What were those two? Friends? Girlfriend and Boyfriend?’_

I look back to the court in time to see Taurus spikes the ball right at Arc-san’ face, the kid collapsing to the ground, hard. There were gasps and then silence over took the gym before Taurus ducks under the net and jogs over to him.

“Hey, are you all right!?” He asks in what sounded like a concerned tone as he shakes Arc-san slightly. Getting no response from him, Taurus looks around at everyone.

“You two! Take him to the nurse’s office!” He points at me and Sun and all eyes land on us as well.

We look at each other for a few seconds before we get up and walk other too were Taurus and Arc-sans’ unconscious body was. Lifting him and putting his right arm over around my shoulders was easier than I thought, especially seeing as I got to him first. I was glad when Sun got the other side and it didn’t take us long to be out of the gymnasium and heading towards the nurse’s office.

“Why did he pick us to do this?” Sun asks in displeased tone.

“Well… he does hate you and me for some reason. Plus it was boring.” I say with too much joy.

“He hates you cause of your record bro, but I glad we’re out of there. That asshole’s actin’ like a king here too. And the way he acted like was worried about Arc? What an abusive d-bag!” Malice was clear in voice as we moved Arc-san towards the nurse’s office.

“Should we really be talking about ‘ _that_ ’ stuff when we’re carrying someone?” I ask pulling Arc-san up a bit more.

“I guess you’re right. Let’s drop him off then and then we can talk about our plan.” Sun starts move a bit fast as he finishes speaking. “The rally won’t be over before we get back.”

As we continue on, I hear the bell ring, signalling the end of the first match and thought pops into my head.  _‘Time to find out how he’s so good at Gun About!’_ “Right, how the hell were you that good yesterday? Bullshit that it was first time playing!” I ask and all I get back is laughter.

“Yeah… sorry ‘bout that. There’s an arcade in Akihabara that me and some of the track team use to go to.” He spoke in a humorous tone as neared the office that needed. “Let’s head to the courtyard after this, this guy is heavy.”

* * *

After leaving Arc-san at the nurse’s office, we walked towards the courtyard with eyes following us as we walked. It didn’t take us long to get there, seeing as people were giving us a wide birth. When we get there, Sun walks straight up to a vending machine, gets a Mad Bull and nearly drains it one as I lean against the wall.

“Now that we’re clear, we can finally start looking for those guys we saw yesterday. All of should be here today.” He downs the rest and crushes the can with ease and spoke with hatred. We’ll find someone who will spill about your physical abuse Taurus’. Just you wait asshole.”

“Great! One problem though. I didn’t really get a good look at the guys getting tortured, so…” I say as I scratch my cheek before I push myself of the wall.

I hear him sigh as he throws the crushed can into a nearby trash can. “Fine, follow me then.” I follow him as he walks off towards the main campus. “The first one I want to talk to is a guy from Class D, so let’s start there. He’s in your class, so I’ll let you do the talking.”

“Great, let’s hope that we don’t have any issues because people have been avoiding me lately.” I say as we start to climb the stairs to the second floor.

The first thing I hear when we arrive at the second floor was more rumours about me. I manage to ignore them as we walked to my class room… but someone spoke, loudly.

_“I heard that her and her mother are the town sluts back in Inaba.”_

I stop walking and I feel Sun walk into the back of me. I hear him say something but everything fell on deaf ears as I turn around and lock on to a curly black-haired, brown-eyed girl.  ** _“Did SHE just call our mom a slut?”_**  I hear that voice say and before I knew what I was doing, I was walking up to her.

As I was walking towards her, I could see the fear in her eyes and the look on her and her friends faces where of dread. When I got just inside of arm’s length, I reach out and grab her collars and lift and push her up against the nearby wall. I could hear gasps from everyone around as I did and I could feel something new run though me as I lift her higher.

“I do not care what you call me! But I will not and I repeat, will not have some skank talk about my mom like that! Do I make myself clear?” I say through gritted teeth just loud enough for her and the girls nearby to hear.

I turn my head to the left as I feel a hand on my shoulder to see Sun there with a look of shock and concern on his face. I look back at the girl I had up against the wall and the look of fear and the tracks off tears on her face brings reality down on me. I put the brown-eyed girl down and we both slump to the floor as fresh tears fall down our face.

“I’m so sorry; I don’t know what came me.” I say though sobs and I hear her say sorry in return. We lean closer together and hug as more sobs leave us.

After a few moments we both stopped crying and moved apart, I take my glasses off and start to whip my eyes with the end of my sleeve when I hear a gasp from the brown-haired girl in front of me.

“Your eyes are prettier than I thought they were.”  I stare at her before I feel warmth on my face before I stammer a reply.

“Th… Thank you. I really like your hair; I’ve always wished I could do that whole curly hair thing.” I say as I twirl my right index finger in a circle and put my glasses back on.

Her whole face lit up before she spoke. “Oh. My. God! I could totes see you with curly hair,” She reaches up with her left hand, past my head and starts to play with my hair. “and you’ve got great hair to do it with as well.”

I feel my face go warmer as her hand brushes up against my cheek. “Thank you, I always struggle with doing anything to my hair, so any help I would love.”

“I would love to and I’m sure my friends would help to right?” She asks as she looks to the three other girls standing near to us, each of them sporting a look of astoundment.

“Right, Girls?” She asks again but with more anger in her voice.

“Yes Gwen.”  The three say in unison.

“Thank you girls.” The girl now known as Gwen says as she stands and pulls me up as well. “I’m Gwen, Gwen Darcy. To my right with the indigo hair is Nebula Violette. On my left with the dark blonde hair is Dew Gayl and next to her with the brick-red hair is Octavia Ember. We’re all in class 2-A.” They all wave slightly as their name gets called out.

I wave back to them before I spoke. “I take it that I don’t need to introduce myself?” I ask and they shook their heads. “Thought so, again I’m so sorry Gwen, I… I really don’t know what cam…”

Before I could continue, she interrupts me. “No…” She brushes a lock of hair behind her right ear. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have said that out aloud, I remember reading it online the other day.”

“Don’t worry about it Gwen, most, if not all of them are false. I’m hoping that they’ll go away eventually. Shall we exchange numbers and chat ID’s then beautiful?” I wink and smile at Gwen and a nice shade of red appears on her cheeks as they all pull their cell phones.

After we had everything was sorted, I hear Sun speak up from behind me. “Is there no one that you won’t flirt with?”

I turn my head to the left, towards Sun. “What can I say, when there are four beautiful girls in front of me, I just can’t help myself.” I look back at the four and wink again, noticing that all of them blushing.

“It was nice meeting you girls; we’ll have to do something together sometime.” I bow slightly, turn and push Sun towards the stairs.

“Hey! Stop pushing! We’re goin’ the wrong way.” His protests fall on deaf ears again as I keep pushing him.

“I need to talk to you ok, so shut up.” I annoyingly say as we reach the stairs.

* * *

As I push him through the door to the roof, I tell him to sit in one the chairs and when he did, he finally speaks up. “So what’s this all about then?”

I take a moment to check the stairwell and close the door. “I’ve been meaning to tell you something.” I turn and move towards Sun. “Shortly after I got my Persona, a voice spoke to me.”

“Yeah, my persona spoke to me as well, so I don’t know why we’re havin’ this.” Sun spoke in a matter of fact tone as I stopped just in front of him.

I sigh and take my glasses off to rub my eyes slightly and then I look back at Sun. “It wasn’t Arsene… it was my voice, but she sounded different, like a more girlier and crazier version of my. I was hoping that it was going to be a onetime thing, but she spoke to me again when Zwei told us that he had a persona.”

When I get no response from Sun, I put my glasses back on and continue. “When she spoke again, she said she wanted to… taste it.” A shiver runs through me at the thought of her voice. “And last night I awoke to find myself trapped by he and shortly after speaking to her, she showed me a design, which lead to me waking up earlier then I should have.” I slump forward a bit but straighten as I steady my nervous.

_‘You can do this Ruby; you’re only showing your back, nothing more.’_ I look at Sun before speaking. “Don’t freak out ok Sun, but she branded me with that design...” I bitterly say as I hang my head in shame.

I hear Sun laugh like I was joking and when I laugh back, he goes silent. “Oh… you weren’t kidding were you?” I nod my head slowly.

I look up to see Sun in front of me and wince when I feel a hand land on shoulder. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.” He removes his hand and I slowly rub the spot on my back that he caught.

“No, it’s not your fault. Her brand is on my back.” I say as I stop rubbing and I take my PE jacket off. “I want to get a second opinion on it, so can you have a look at it please?” I don’t let him answer as I turn around lift the white tank top and my bra up just enough so that my back is exposed.

“Holy Shit… look at that thing… so what’s this thing meant to do then?” He asks as I feel a finger poke my back.

“It’s meant to track how well my power is coming alone, whatever that means.” I say shuddering slightly as the cool air blows by.

“Le Mat, Le Pape and Le Chariot… what do they mean?” I hear him ask in an inquisitive tone.

“Not a clue. I haven’t looked into them yet. Take a photo of it for me please Sun.” I ask and hear the sound of a camera shortly after.

“Done… I wonder what the other you wants with you?” He asks inquisitively.

“She wants power and apparently I’m the one she wants it from.” I let go of my clothing, making sure that everything was right before I turn back around.

“Look… I think you should carry on this investigation, as I don’t really want another scene like what happened with Gwen.” I grimly say as I recall what happened to not long ago.

“But I…” I sigh leaves him. “Fair enough… after what happened; rumours are goin to fly around here.”

“Thank you Sun, I just need some time to think.” I walk past him and sit down on one of the chairs.

“No probs, I’ll let you know what I find.” I waves and then disappears through the door.

It didn’t take long till the noise of school and the rally to make itself known as I sat there. I let my eyes close and I think her.  _‘Why did you have to do that?’_

In a clam tone she spoke.  ** _“I did that because I know how much you idolize our mother, so I weren’t going to let some cute girl disrespect her like that.”_**  I felt her lips next to my left ear and her hands on my shoulder.

_‘But you still didn’t have to do that; you’re making my life harder than it already is.’_ I raise my voice at her.

**_“I was doing you a favour babe. Now they’ll leave you alone.”_**  She says in the same tone.

_‘Leave me alone? They won’t do that; I’m surprised that I haven’t been called to the principals’ office.’_ I say to her in hope that she understands.

**_“Oh! Do you like the design I gave you? And I do like what you called it.”_** I feel a weight in lap, her arms around my neck and her lips close to mine and spoke in a sultry tone.  ** _“I do have other ways of branding you.”_**

At that, I open my eyes, stand up and move away from her and the chair.  _“_ One branding from you is more than enough thank you!”

**_“Aww, that’s a shame, I’m sure that I could make you sing our name.”_**  She whispers into my right ear in the same tone as she presses up against me.  ** _“And I’m sure Weiss would sound beautiful as well.”_**

I move away and turn towards where she would be and raise my voice at her again. “You leave her out of this.”

**_“Oh I see now. You want her all to yourself, well tough; I’m going enjoy her all by myself when I take you.”_** She angrily tells me.

“Just leave me alone will ya!” I Shout at her and when silence greats me, I sigh in relief.

“I only wanted to talk to you for a sec…?” I hear someone say who wasn’t Sun or Gwen. Turning to face the door, I see Belladonna-san standing there, still wearing the PE uniform.

“What do you want?” I asked her in a curt tone as I straighten up.

“It’ll be quick. Okay?” She asked in an annoyed tone. I nod.

“So what’s with you?” She asks with stern amber eyes locked to me and I raise an eyebrow. “Like, how you were late the other day was a lie and all… then there are those weird rumours about you too.” 

I lean to the left to look past her when I hear the door to the roof open to see Sun standing there with a look of anger. “Whaddya want with her?”

I watch Belladonna-san turn around. “Right back at you, you’re not even in our class.”

“What? Can’t he have female friends now?” I say in annoyance and getting no response from either of them.

A sigh left her. “What’re you planning on doing to Mr. Taurus?”

A look of surprise appears on Sun face before turning back to one of anger. “Oh! I getcha. You’re all buddy-buddy with Taurus after all.”

“This has nothing to do with you, Wukong!” She raises her voice when she says his name.

“If you found out what he’s been doing behind your back, you’d dump him right away.” I go wide at that and hope that he doesn’t mention the castle or Personas.

I watch Belladonna-san take a step back and speak in a confused tone. “Behind my back…? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Sun must have seen the panicked look on my face before he spoke as his whole demeanour changed. “Bah… you wouldn’t get it.”

Belladonna-sans black bushy pigtails whip around her as she shakes her head before she speaks. “Anyway, people are already talking about you two. I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but no one’s gonna help you.”

Her head dips a little and her tone changes to one of sorrow as she walks to the roof door. “I’m warning you, just in case. That’s all.” Then she disappears through the door leaving me and Sun alone.

There was a moment of silences between us as we hear Belladonna-san loudly talk to herself as she walks down into the school proper before Sun speaks up. “Why’s she gotta be so aggressive all the time?”

“She got a stick up her ass or something?” I asked in the cockiest way possible which earns a chuckle from Sun.

“Would you believe me if I told you that she was different back in middle school.” He kicks the ground before a serious look falls over him. “But that’s not what I’m here for; I manage to get a name of someone who might tell us something.”

“Who is it then?” I cock an eyebrow.

“It’s Arc, apparently he knows a lot ‘bout the “special” coaching, so I thought it would be best to tag-team him.” He spoke with slight enthusiasm.

“Well that would explain the bruises and bandages I always see on the boy.” I think out loud before I focus on Sun. “Sure, let’s get some information. Where will he be at this time?” I ask and head for the roof door.

* * *

Standing at the entrance to the school was getting boring after half an hour, especially with what student that where leaving for the day, looking at us.

“You sure he hasn’t gone home already?” I ask looking at one of the posters on a board.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure.” I hear some noises from his phone before a “Game Over” sound is heard. “Damn it...” I hear some shuffling noise till I feel his eyes on me. “I last saw him heading to the locker room before I came to find you so…”

“So… he could have gone home during that time.” I say after giving up on trying to understand what was on the board. As I turn and face Sun, I see Arc-san walk through the door that was to the right of bread shop.

“Hey, there he his.” I look over at Arc-san and I see Sun do the same. “So, how do you…” Before I could finish, Sun calls out.

“Hey, Arc. Got a second?” A look of terror appears on Arc-sans’ face when Sun calls for him and I can’t help but feel sorry for him.

“What do you two want?” He spoke in a meek tone.

“C’mon man, we just wanna chat.” Sun spoke like Dojima-san did shortly after Nanako-chan declared that we were friends. “Taurus’s been “coaching” you, huh? You sure it’s not just physical abuse?”

“Certainly not!” He looked away as he spoke.

“We were the ones who had to carry you to the nurse’s office after that spike to the face.” I watch as Sun crosses his arms and leans to one side.

“That was… that was just because I’m not good at the sport…” Sadness washes over Arc’s face as he spoke.

“…Still, that doesn’t explain all the other bruises you’ve got?” There was some sympathy in Sun tone.

“They’re from practice!” A fierce look replaces the sadness as Arc straightens up.

“I thought I could hear your whines Arc, what’s going on here?” The three of us turn to see Taurus walking towards us with a shit-eating grin.

“Isn’t it time for practice Arc?” Taurus spoke to him like he was nothing.

“I’m… I’m not feeling well today…” Arc spoke and looked exhausted and being slumped forwards just added to the fact.

“Then maybe you’re better off quitting then. You’re never going to improve that crappy form unless you show up to practice.” You could hear the smugness in Taurus’s voice as he spoke.

I see Sun turn to face Taurus and before he moved, I spoke up. “Don’t Sun.”

The look Taurus gives me and Sun makes wish we could have dealt with sooner. “You should listen to her Wukong. You might actually learn something.” As Taurus looks back at Arc, I hear Sun grumble something. “Well, Arc? Are you coming to practice or not?”

“…I’ll go.” Looking at Arc as he spoke, it was clear that he had long since given up.

“As for you,” I turn my head back to see Taurus and Sun standing toe to toe. “any more trouble from either of you and you’ll both be gone from this school for sure.” He spoke with pure malice before turning around and talking a couple of steps away from us.

“Shujin Academy is a place where those with aspirations come to learn. Unworthy students like yourselves don’t have any right to be here.” As he leaves, Sun turns to face me.

“I hate that asshole…” Hatred was clear in Sun’s voice.

“There’s no point.” I hear Arc say in a lifeless tone

“Huh!” Sun and I say at the same time, as we turn to face him.

“Proving that he’s physically abusing us… is meaningless. Everybody knows… The principal, our parents… They all know, and they all keep quiet about it.” Arc said in the same lifeless tone.

“You’ve got to be joking right…right?” I ask and chuckle a bit, but when no one laughs, I stop and realize that he’s being serious.

A panicked look over comes Arc as he runs of toward the practice building leaving me and Sun alone. “Soo… do you want a drink?” I ask Sun in hope of trying to lighten the mood.

* * *

After sliding a can of Dr. Salt NEO across the table in the courtyard to Sun, I crack open my can of 1UP before speaking. “I still can’t get over the fact that everyone knows about it.”

I watch as Sun does the same to his can and drains about half of it before replying. “It doesn’t make sense, why ain’t anybody speaking up about it!?”

“Because Taurus is an Olympian gold medallist in volleyball who made the volleyball team famous.” I say after drinking some 1UP.

Drinking the rest of his can, he crushes it in his hand as he speaks. “Still, that doesn’t give him the right to do whatever he wants!”

Before I could speak, a family boyish voice speaks up. “I finally found you…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was hoping to get this chapter out before today, but having two birthdays just after Christmas and New Year, doesn’t leave that much time to do a lot. 
> 
> But I do hope that everyone had a good Christmas and New Year, I got Assassin’s Creed Odyssey for Christmas and it’s the main game I’m currently playing (about 20 hours in and I still haven’t exploded most of the map).
> 
> And to top it off, I’ve got Red Dead Redemption 2 for my birthday to play through as well, so no shortage of games to play here.
> 
> Enjoy my friends.


	13. At Days End

Date: Unknown

 

“Do you expect me to believe…”

“…that I’ve been branded by voice in head?” I spoke loud enough to stop her in her tracks. “In all honestly Prosecutor Schnee, most of them didn’t when I first told them.”

 Standing up, I hear the scraping of the metal chair as it gets pushed back.

“What are you doing?” She asks as stern blue eyes watch my every movement.

“I plan on showing it to up.” I wince as I remove my school blazer and my slightly damp red shirt, leaving me in my equally as damp, red plunge bra. Standing there in the interrogation room, I feel her eyes rack over my body. I notice her clench her jaw and know what she’s looking.

I was glad that the months had kind to me as the abs that I have were somewhat decent, but nowhere near the level Sun has. The only thing I could remember on how I got here (apart from being gun butted twice), was by being dragged out, but judging from the bruises and the pain in my chest, they must of had fun beating me up.

“See something you like?” I ask with a smirk and when see looks up, soft blue eyes great me, but her voice never changed.

“I’ve seen police us brute force before… but never to this extent. And while I’ve seen my fair share of topless people, please hurry up.”

“Sorry, but the last time I was like this, a certain white haired girl couldn’t keep her hands off of me.” I say knowing that she never really approved of our relationship.

“Look Ruby… I may never approve of your relationship with her, but leave my sister out of that.” Soft blue turn to ice as she spoke.

Placing my blazer and shirt on the table, I turn around and hearing her gasp at the sight of it wouldn’t be the first time. “Don’t worry about the scars Prosecutor, I got them when we were fighting some strong shadows one time, I’ll get to that later on.”

After getting silences from her, I turn and put my uniform back on and sit back down.  “So… where was I?”

* * *

Date: 4/13

Looking around in hopes of finding out who said that and after finding nothing, I look back at Sun.

“Did you hear that?” He asks and I nod in return.

“I’m glad you did, I don’t think I could cope with another voice.” I wipe my brow with my sleeve.

Me and Sun step back when the most adorable black haired Welsh Corgi with a red collar on, ups onto the table, turn around and sit down with angry dark grey eyes looking at us. “Don’t think you can get away with not paying me back for helping you.”

“Wait… is that you Zwei?” Sun spoke with shock.

Zwei shakes his head a little before speaking with annoyance. “How dare you, up and leaving me the other day!”

“Why is that dog talking!?” I hear Sun say as I continue to focus on the cutest Corgi in front of me.

“I am NOT a dog! This is just what happened when I came to this world! It was a lot of trouble finding you two.”

“Wait… how did you even get here? Does that mean you can us a phone too?” Sun asks as I taking a step closer to Zwei.

“You don’t need one when you’re at my level.” Zwei said with smugness and I hear him mumble something about getting lost.

“That aside, why can you talk!? You’re a dog.” I hear Sun say in annoyance.

“How should I know?” Zwei says as he scratches his head with a paw.

“You hearin’ this too?” I look at Sun after he spoke and smirk graces my lips.

“Woof.” And all I got was silences till Sun spoke up in a serious tone a few minutes later.

“This is no time to be jokin’ around Ruby.”

“You guys are having a rough time of this it seems, but I have to agree blonde here. You mentioned something about witnesses?” Zwei said looking at the both of us.

“Yeah, Sun had the idea of getting evidence about Taurus’ physical abuse from one of the other students, but it turns out that the principal and the parents know about it all.” I say as I rub the back of my neck slightly before lowering my arm.

“Hay! It was good plan; it just… didn’t work out the way I hoped.” Sun spoke with a bashful look.

Like a lighting blot, an idea hits me. “The king! Let’s punish the king.”

“What do you mean about “punish him”, you remember what happen’ the last time, right?” Sun asks and I rub my cheek in remembrance.

“You know, I could tell you a thing or two about what to do about Taurus.” Zwei then looks at me before speaking again. “You were pretty close just a moment ago. You’ll need to attack his castle.”

“What do you mean?” Sun asked while scratching the side of his head.

“Taurus views this school as his castle. He doesn’t realize what happens in there, but it’s deeply connected to the depths of his heart. Thus, if the castle disappears, it would naturally impact the real Taurus.” Zwei spoke in calmly manner.

 “So what’ll happen?” Sun ask crossing his arms.

“A Palace is a manifestation of a person’s distorted desires. So, if that castle were no more…” Zwei left his sentence open in hopes that one of us gets it, which I do.

“Then his desires would go too.” A happy look appears on Zweis’ cute little dog face as he looks at me.

“Precisely! You sure pick things up fast!” Zwei says and I rub my neck again.

“For real!? We do that and he’ll turn good?” Sun shouts and I wince when I remember that we are outside.

I tune out of our conversation and look around in hopes that no one is looking this way and when I think no one is watching, I tune back in and catch the end of Suns’ sentence. “… gettin’ back at him?”

“Erasing a Palace essentially means forcing the own to have a change of heart. However, even though their warped wants disappears, the crimes they committed remain. Taurus will become unable to bear the weight of those crimes, and he’ll confess them himself!” Zwei spoke in an odd gleeful tone.

“That’s possible!?” Sun shouts again and it was Zwei who beat in speaking up.

“Yes… but it seems like you’ve still coming to grips with all this, so I’m going to give you some time to come to grips with everything and it would be best if we spoke in a more privet location.”

“The roof is probably the best place for this topic of conversation.” I say putting my index finger to my chin in thought.

“Right!” Zwei says before he stands and scampers off.

Looking over to Sun, I see him still standing there, with a look of utter confusion all over him. Removing what space there was between us, I place my left hand onto his shoulder. “Let’s get some rest Sun, it’s been a long day and let’s hear what Zwei knows about palaces before you go and do something stupid, ok?”

He looks me in the eyes, sighs and in a warn-out tone, he spoke. “Yeah… you’re right. It’s been one hell of an afternoon, heh?”

“Yeah,” I moved my hand and scratched the back of my head. “It has been. Let’s go.” I said leaving the courtyard with Sun in tow.

* * *

By the time I got back to LeBlanc, the sun was casting a nice orangey red over the sky and as I opened the door and walked in, the smell of coffee and curry flooded me. As soon as my eyes finished adjusting to the shift of light, I notice that the café was empty apart from James sitting at the bar with the newspaper in hand with the TV playing but with no sound.

At my commotion at the door, he looks up at me and then back to his paper.

“Good evening James, how was day?” I ask in hope that we could at least bond.

“Evening,” I watch as he places the newspaper on the bar and stands. “all the better now that I can head home.”

Placing my school bag on the table near the entrance, I slump into the bench seats facing inwards and I feel my body sink into the leather chair as James walks into the kitchen, it didn’t take long till James came out wearing his white jacket and trilby.

“Did you flip the sign outside?” James asks as he adjusts his hat and when I shake my side to side, he sighs and walks towards the door.

When I hear the door open, I feel his eyes on me and the April night air rush in. “Goodnight Ruby.” I hear James say and then the door shutting and locking me in. It wasn’t too long till the only noise in the building was whatever James had left going in the kitchen.

After getting my phone and seeing no messages from anyone, I grab my bag and move closer to the TV and after dropping them off on a table, I head into the kitchen in hopes that James might have been kind enough to me and got me some other food.

Finding and making some instant ramen, I turn the TV up slightly and let the news play as I sit down at the booth were I left my bag, that’s when I notice my phone blinking with Suns’ stupid cheesy grin showing. Setting my blow of ramen down, I swipe to answer the call and press the speaker icon.

“God, about time you answered.” Sun says as I pick up and break my chopsticks apart.

“Sorry, I was getting some food Sun, so I didn’t notice.”  I say just as I picked up some noodles and start to eat them. “So what do you want Sun?”

“I was going to say that one of Taurus’ followers doesn’t give one shit about what’s happening before Zwei showed up.” I hear Sun and then some sports noise.

“Who are you talking about? Most of the student body look up to him.” I say grabbing more noodles with my chopsticks and eating them.

“I’m taking ‘bout Blake Belladonna… the pigtailed cat faunus in your class.” I hear him sigh and I sit up more in the booth-seat when he mentions her name.

“Oh her! What is her thing with Taurus?” I ask glancing at the TV and seeing the second detective princess Emerald Sustrai appear on some talk show.

“I don’t know dude! That’s the most she’s talked to me in a long time.” I hear him chuckle before he speaks again. “Ugh! What a load bull, we can’t let it carry on like this.”

“Like I said Sun, let’s go after the King, after we hear what Zwei has to say.” I say before eating some chicken and noodles.

“I still can’t believe that that dog is Zwei.” Sun says and then some more noises from the TV his side.

“I know it’s hard to believe how cute he his.” I say as I remember the adorable the corgi is.

“Sheesh, it’s like you never had a pet before Ruby.” I hear him laugh and I smile in response.

“I never had a pet Sun, my dad wouldn’t allow it, especially when my mom became pregnant and I never really ask again after that.” I say, resting my chopsticks in the half-eaten bowl of chicken ramen. “Though there was a pretty friendly fox that lived around the local shrine back in Inada.”

“Wait, hold on… a fox? You know how deadly they can be.” Sun said in a shocked tone.

“Yes I know Sun, but apparently this fox has never harmed anyone since it’s been living there, plus she had a cute looking red apron with hearts on.” I say before I brink some of the broth.

“You’re a strange one Ruby.” I hear him chuckle again.

“Yeah, I use to get that a lot back home, it’s how I got my scar and my last girlfriend.” I say remembering that day with more fondness than pain.

“You’re goin’ to have to tell that story another time Ruby; I think my dinner is ready. Speak to you tomorrow. Goodnight.” I hear him shout to his mom that he would be down soon.

“Goodnight Sun, enjoy.” I say before he ends the call and I’m left alone in the café.

Finishing my ramen off and disposing of the container, I grab my bag and phone and head to bed and hope that I don’t wake up somewhere else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter this time, but it’s hard to believe that this story is already a year old. I want to thank everyone who reads this story and has come back with every chapter, I appreciate, I really do.
> 
> So I thought I’ll give you a riddle in honour of this anniversary.
> 
> What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
> 
> I look forward to many more years.

**Author's Note:**

> Any help is welcome.


End file.
